Christmas came a little early for ZooTampa at Lowry Park, which welcomed the birth of a rare tapir calf last week.
Ubi, an endangered Malayan tapir, gave birth to her fourth calf on Dec. 17. The baby is the 12th Malayan tapir born at the zoo. There are less than 50 in human care around the country.
The zoo said Ubi's care team has a strong bond with her, so she was able to get many belly scratches during ultrasounds over the year of her pregnancy. Now, mom and baby are both healthy and thriving.
"We are thrilled to welcome another Zoo baby! The successful tapir birth signifies that ZooTampa at Lowry Park has once again contributed to the long-term sustainability of this unique species on the brink of extinction," General Curator Chris Massaro said.
Photos: ZooTampa welcomes tapir calf
Malayan tapirs are sometimes mistaken for a pig or anteater, but they're actually close relatives of rhinos and horses. When first born, a tapir calf will have a distinctive dark brown coat made up of lighter brown spots and stripes. This pattern helps camouflage the baby.
Over its first six months of life, the coat will change to the black and white pattern seen on adult tapirs.
Tapirs are known as "living fossils" and are the most primitive large mammal in the world.
ZooTampa guests are able to see the calf while she stays close to mom. Guests can even catch mom, baby and dad Albert using their unique snouts to snack on their favorite treats: smeared bananas.
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