Zoo Miami has announced the birth of a Malayan tapir, an endangered species recognizable by its pig-like appearance and elephant-like snout. According to the zoo, the calf was born on September 16 (he's a Virgo!) after a gestation of roughly 13 months, marking the first successful birth of the species at the zoo in nearly two decades.
"Here is your dose of precious and adorable for the week!" Zoo Miami spokesperson Ron Magill wrote in an Instagram post alongside several photos of the black-and-white spotted mammal.
The calf's mother, an 8-year-old named Tengi, came to Zoo Miami from Zoo Tampa, while his father, a 12-year-old named Kazu, arrived from the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.
The zoo announced that a neonatal exam revealed the newborn is "successfully nursing" and "healthy and thriving."
Native to Southeast Asia, Malayan tapirs are distant relatives of horses and rhinoceroses and are the largest of the four species of tapirs. The odd-looking creatures are typically found around bodies of water in the tropical forests of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and they can weigh up to a hefty 800 pounds.
According to the environmental organization Rainforest Action Network, only 2,500 adult Malayan tapirs remain in the wild.
