It’s “watermelon” season at the San Diego Zoo! A 13-day-old endangered Baird’s tapir calf strutted his unique striped coat—with a watermelon-like pattern—before his scheduled bottle feeding at the Zoo’s Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey. Animal care staff are helping with assisted rearing of the youngster, along with daily interactions between the male calf and his mother Luna—and the other animals that share his mixed-species habitat, behind a protective fence.
“Animal care and veterinary staff performed ultrasounds, using protective contact, for months leading up to the calf’s birth, to identify milestones in Luna’s pregnancy and provide useful information for future pregnancies of this endangered species,” said Matt Akel, animal care manager. “The last endangered Baird’s calf born at the Zoo was in 1988, so we’re thrilled with the arrival of this male—and happy to provide him with optimal care, since mom wasn’t successful.”
After a 13-month gestation period, the calf was born behind the scenes on June 13, 2018 to first-time mom Luna. When she wasn’t able to care for her newborn, animal care staff stepped in with assisted rearing, to ensure the calf’s health. At birth, the calf weighed 22 pounds, but he has steadily gained weight. Keepers milked Luna through protected contact during the first week after the birth, to provide the calf with necessary nutrition and round-the-clock care. However, the calf’s diet is now being supplemented with goat’s milk and a protein mix, and bottle feedings are provided five times a day.
The calf’s spots and stripes serve as camouflage protection in the dappled light of the tapirs’ forest floor habitat. Calves begin to lose these markings after a few months, and they resemble miniature adults at about 8 months of age.
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