A Washington zoo is celebrating the arrival of a very special new resident: a Malayan tapir calf! This little creature was born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium on Sunday, February 2. It’s not just the baby animal’s absolutely adorable appearance that has everyone excited, though. Apparently, this zoo has only welcomed one other Malayan tapir calf into the world in over a century!
Videos by InspireMore
In a sweet video on social media, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium shared the cutest footage of the newborn exploring their enclosure and spending some much-needed time with Mom. If your heart doesn’t instantly melt when you see this tiny calf, it will when you hear their precious little squeaks!
Exciting news! We’re thrilled to announce that tapir Yuna gave birth to a rare and endangered Malayan tapir calf Sunday night. The newborn, covered in distinctive white spots and stripes resembling a fuzzy walking watermelon, is only the second tapir born in our 120-year history. pic.twitter.com/eVlBAviJVx
— Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (@PtDefianceZoo) February 4, 2025
“Exciting news!” wrote the zoo in their caption. “We’re thrilled to announce that tapir Yuna gave birth to a rare and endangered Malayan tapir calf Sunday night. The newborn, covered in distinctive white spots and stripes resembling a fuzzy walking watermelon, is only the second tapir born in our 120-year history.”
So far, the zoo has not revealed the calf’s name.
On Instagram, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium shared that they would “announce the sex and name” of the Malayan tapir calf “soon!” We can’t wait to hear what they decide to name this little sweetheart.
Commenters on the post instantly fell in love with the baby animal.
“You do realize you’ll need to post a million pictures and videos of this sweet little baby now right?” wrote one user. “I’m obsessed!”
Another chimed in, “The ears. I cannot.”
Unfortunately, Malayan tapirs are an endangered species. According to a blog post on the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium website, their numbers are dwindling due to deforestation. While this is sad, the birth of a brand new calf can be viewed as a symbol of hope for these creatures — a really cute one! Visitors should be able to see this beautiful baby animal in the spring.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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