Rare Endangered Tapir Gives Birth to ‘Fuzzy Walking Watermelon’

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Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and the wildlife-conservation community are celebrating the birth of a rare and endangered Malayan tapir. The organization says the baby looks like a “fuzzy walking watermelon.”

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“Exciting news!” wrote Point Defiance in a TikTok post sharing a video of the cute baby and its mother. “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.”

Malayan tapirs are endangered animals native to Southeast Asia. Habitat loss as a result of deforestation and human development threaten these animals’ survival in the wild. Point Defiance says the baby’s parents paired up as part of a Species Survival Plan, a program that helps ensure endangered species’ genetic diversity and long-term sustainability.

See the baby tapir here:

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