SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Zoo is weighing names for a female Baird’s tapir calf that was born earlier this month, and they are asking for input.
The calf and her mother, Luna, can now be seen in the Elephant Odyssey area, where they are sharing space with giant rodents known as capybaras.
At birth, the coats of tapir calves have patterns and lines that zoo officials say are meant to provide camouflage in the wild as their mothers usually keep them hidden while they forage for food. The design has been compared to that seen on a watermelon. Gradually, their coats will transform into a dark red-brown color.
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“The calf is starting to get ‘zoomies’ and likes to mouth and play with leaves and food, even if she’s not eating it,” the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shared in a news release Tuesday. “They spend their time grooming, nursing and laying together.”