According to animal care staff, the baby stood and took their first steps within the hour and several short tending sessions were observed via camera. “From the camera, we watched the first nursing session around 3 a.m., which lasted until the baby fell asleep on Mia,” said Lauren.

A neonatal exam performed on November 4 confirmed the baby is male and appears strong and healthy. Although he is nursing some on his own, staff observed him having trouble latching onto Mia’s teats and have assisted as necessary. The little one weighed a whopping 20 pounds at the time of exam!

Although this baby is not the first of his species born at the Zoo, Mia is a first-time mom who was hand-reared at a young age. Because of this, there were concerns that her motherly instincts may not kick in and staff were prepared to step in as needed. Fortunately, this was not the case!

Mia and the little one are currently bonding behind the scenes as staff continues to monitor them around the clock through the cameras. It is hoped they will be visible on habitat in the upcoming weeks, but this will depend on the comfort level of both Mia and the baby.

Baird’s tapirs are endangered due to habitat loss and human hunting. This species is known for appearing watermelon-like as young thanks to their unique pattern. In their natural habitat, this design helps the little ones camouflage in the filtered sunlight of the forest. The stripes will eventually fade as tapirs grow older and resemble the coloring of their adult counterparts.