Baby Tapir
With spots and stripes to stay hidden in the bamboo and reeds, a baby tapir looks a lot like a watermelon when it's born! We'll watch our #SeattleWatermelon grow together
#SeattleWatermelon
Catch Up on the Latest Tapir News
Sempurna the tapir is outgrowing her stripes and spots, but she'll always be our #SeattleWatermelon!
Her name is Sempurna, which means flawless, a beautiful dream, in Indonesian.
The baby tapir takes a dip!
Sempurna inspires a splash of creativity!
Ulan gave birth June 10! Tapir calf is healthy, strong and totally adorable
Baby proofed exhibit is ready!
Ulan is expecting
Make a Gift
It takes a lot to welcome a new baby to the zoo! Every dollar you give is an important investment in the well-being of this adorable new addition! Your gift will help provide excellent care for all of our animals, including first-time mother Ulan and baby girl! Become part of this baby’s story and help us celebrate #SeattleWatermelon with your gift today. Thank you!
MAKE A GIFT
DOWNLOADS
Digital Wallpapers
These background images are great for your computer or even your next virtual meeting!
Download Now
Giphy Sticker
Use #SeattleWatermelon to share your love for the baby with a tapir-worthy giphy sticker! Search for "woodland park zoo" to find tapir stickers and more in Insta stories, your Giphy keyboard and more!
Saving Tapirs
Do More for Tapirs by Protecting Their Forests
Woodland Park Zoo partners with conservation projects in Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, where tapirs are found. By investing in land protection and habitat management, the work the zoo is doing helps to protect tapirs in their current habitats. “One of the greatest threats to tapirs is loss of habitat. By protecting land for tigers, orangutans and hornbills, the zoo is also protecting land for tapirs,” says Woodland Park Zoo Vice President of Conservation Initiatives Peter Zahler. “Everyone can join our efforts too. By making informed purchasing decisions and buying products with certified sustainable palm oil, you’re protecting tapirs and the forests they live in.”
Learn more about our Conservation Partners
Fun Facts About Tapirs
- Tapirs are among the most primitive large mammals in the world, changing little in appearance for millions of years. This prehistoric-looking animal looks like a massive pig with a long snout. However, because they have an odd number of toes (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot), their closest relatives are horses and rhinos.
- A newborn tapir looks like a watermelon on legs due to its reddish-brown coat dappled with white and cream-colored spots and stripes. This color pattern works wonders as camouflage in bamboo or reed jungles. The striped pattern begins to fade after a few months and the calf begins to look like a miniature adult at about 5 to 8 months old.
- The gestation period for tapirs is a little longer than humans—13 months! The average weight for a tapir calf is 22 pounds at birth and they are born with their eyes open and can usually stand within one or two hours after birth.
- The average weight for adult Malayan tapirs is 750 pounds, although they can weigh up to 900 pounds. The front half of an adult’s body and its hind legs are black and the rear half above the legs is white.