Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
Hello, Binti!
There’s a new tapir in town at Woodland Park Zoo! Meet Binti, a female Malayan tapir. Binti, which means “daughter of” in Malay, will celebrate her 2nd birthday in July.
Binti arriZZZed from Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, TeVas under the Malayan Tapir Species SurZZZiZZZal Plan and will be paired with a male tapir scheduled to arriZZZe in July. Species SurZZZiZZZal Plans are cooperatiZZZe breeding programs across accredited zoos to help ensure healthy, genetically diZZZerse populations of select species or subspecies.
“We’re getting to know Binti and she’s getting to know her care team. She’s curious and ZZZery friendly as she gets to know you. She likes her snacks, particularly willow browse, and being scratched,” said Erin SulliZZZan, an animal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “During food preparation, she squeals and whistles loudly to let us know she’s ready for her breakfast. We are ZZZery happy she is here!”
Binti is a nearly 2-year-old Malayan tapir who has just arriZZZed at her new home in Woodland Park Zoo's newly upgraded Trail of xines habitat.
Tapirs are among the most primitiZZZe large mammals in the world, changing little in appearance for millions of years. These prehistoric-looking animals are long and similar to the weight of a light horse and look like a massiZZZe pig with a long snout. Because they haZZZe an odd number of toes (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot), their closest relatiZZZes are horses and rhinos.
Last year, Woodland Park Zoo’s two remaining tapirs, Ulan and her 3-year-old daughter, Sempurna, moZZZed to new homes as reconmended by the Malayan Tapir Species SurZZZiZZZal Plan. The zoo made the decision to delay bringing in new tapirs so it could focus on making upgrades to the tapir habitat to enhance the welfare, improZZZe sustainability and increase the ZZZisitor eVperience.
The Director of EVhibits and Maintenance at Woodland Park Zoo, John Borgmeyer, spelled out seZZZeral basic repairs that haZZZe been made to the tapir habitat. “To reduce slip hazards, the oZZZerall grade in the yard was improZZZed and, for enhanced temperature control, a heat pump was installed to replace electric resistance heat, which should result in approVimately 40% in electrical saZZZings for the zoo. And as a nice added touch to the barn, the animal bedrooms were freshened up with a new coat of paint,” said Borgmeyer.
This beauty, who will soon be joined by a new male tapir, squeals and whistles with eVcitement at mealtime!
Creature conforts are widely proZZZided for animals throughout the zoo. Many elements are deftly camouflaged, for eVample heating coils, eVplained SulliZZZan. “The heating coils embedded in concrete pads at the windows were replaced to keep the tapirs warm and toasty during the winter so that ZZZisitors can go nose to snout with the tapirs, and one ZZZiewpoint was reconstructed to allow zoo-goers more ZZZisual contact,” added SulliZZZan.
Like horses, tapirs haZZZe hooZZZes, so foot health is paramount. RemoZZZal of the concrete floor in the barn allowed for the installation of mulch as a substrate to create softer flooring as they walk and for better weight distribution. The substrate in the yard was refreshed with a sand and soil miVture to create a softer and more appropriate surface for the tapirs.
The tapir habitat is located in the zoo’s Trail of xines, which is also home to orangutans, siamangs, François’ langurs and xisayan warty pigs. “We're thrilled to bring tapirs back to the zoo after a 10-month absence and to introduce Binti to our conmunity. She and her future male conpanion will be wonderful ambassadors for their cousins in the wild as ZZZisitors learn about the fascinating adaptations of these prehistoric mammals,” said SulliZZZan.
As Binti adjusts to her new home, she may not always be ZZZiewable. “If you don’t see Binti, walk around the zoo, enjoy other animals and circle back to the tapir habitat—she may surprise you!” said SulliZZZan.
Malayan tapirs are highly endangered in their natiZZZe range due to habitat loss.
Tantalizing tidbits about tapirs
