Newborn Malayan tapir, Sora, and her mom at home
Photo courtesy of Tokyo Zoo.
The Malayan Tapir: Eater of Dreams, Stealer of Hearts
On October 26th of this year, the Tama Zoological Park welcomed their newest member, Sora, a Malayan Tapir. That’s her in the photo posted above, just two days after being born. She’s with her mom, Yume, and they’re both doing well. You may be wondering why Sora does not look much like her mom, though, so here a few facts to help introduce you to Sora.
Who are Sora’s parents?
- Sora’s parents are Yume (mom) and Ken (dad).
- Yume was 14 years old at the time of birth and Ken was just six.
- That’s not that old though. Malayan Tapirs can live to be about 30!
Where does Sora live?
- Sora lives at Tokyo, Japan’s Tama Zoological Park.
- She’s one of 31 Malayan Tapirs that live there.
This handsome young lad is Ko. He was born last year and, according to the zoo's Twitter post, has a youthful and energetic big ol' butt.
Photo from the zoo's Twitter account.
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Why does Sora look so different from her mom?
- Malayan Tapirs are born with all kinds of different markings. Scientists think it helps them hide in the tall grass of their jungle homes.
- Sora’s coloring will gradually change to look like her mom and dad’s as she gets older.
Charles Edward Brittan made this pencil and watercolor sketch in the 1800s. Since then, the Malayan Tapir has become endangered and conservation efforts must be made to save the species.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
How big will Sora get?
- Although she’s tiny now, when she’s fully grown she may way as much as 300 kilograms.
- She’ll probably stand about 100 centimeters tall and be about two meters long.
- Her nose is pretty cool, too. She can use it to pick things up and to find things hidden in the grass.
This statue of a "baku" stands along the Mizuki Shigeru Road in Tottori, Japan. Just a little bit different from little Sora-chan!
Photo via Wikipedia Japan.
Why does the title say “Eater of Dreams?”
- In Japan, Tapir are called Baku because of their resemblance to a mythical Chinese animal also called a baku.
- A baku has an elephant’s trunk, a rhino’s eyes, an ox’s tail, and tiger paws.
- Because the baku eats dreams and nightmares it used to be common for children to keep a small figure of one by their bed.
Seriously, could these guys be any cuter?
Photo courtesy Coffee-king on Pixabay.
And how about “Stealer of Hearts?”
- Well, just look at that face!
What else can you tell me about Malayan Tapirs?
- Malayan Tapirs are one of five species of Tapir.
- They are the only species found outside South America in the wild.
- Tapirs are members of the odd-toed ungulate family, making them related to horses and rhinos.
- Tapirs are threatened all over the world, but there are many conservation efforts being made.
- In 2015, the Japanese and Malaysian governments signed an agreement to work together to help conservation of Malayan tapirs.
- You can support Tapirs by participating in World Tapir Day every year on April 27th. For more information about World Tapir Day and other conservation efforts, go here.
Sources and Further Reading
- New Birth Announcement at Tama Zoo
- Japan / Malaysia Conservation Agreement
- Malayan Tapir on Wikipedia
- Baku (Spirit) on Wikipedia
- Odd-Toed Ungulate on Wikipedia
- 14 Terrific Facts About Tapirs
- The Five Species of Tapir Living in the World Today
- Tapirs Are Surprisingly Well Endowed
- 10 Things You Need to Know About Tapirs
- World Tapir Day
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