Endangered Tapir’s First Words

Prehistoric Animal Born in Greenwich! LEO Zoological Conservation Center is extremely proud to announce yet another rare birth. Squeak, named for the noise tapirs make to communicate, is a female Brazilian tapir and was born to parents Jetta and Beep-Beep. Many people may not be aware of this rare species, that’s vulnerable to extinction, but they once roamed North America, are cousins to the rhinoceros and is the largest mammal and a keystone species in South America. They swim as gracefully as a dolphin, are as agile as a horse, and are as adorable as a watermelon with legs. They have a flexible snout that’s very similar to a mini elephant trunk. Believe it or not, this primitive creature’s appearance has changed little in the past 15 million years! Tapirs are listed as an endangered species as a result of loss of natural habitat and illegal hunting for meat. Brazilian tapirs are particularly at risk from poachers due to their slow reproductive rates and the ease with whic