This baby Malayan tapir, an Asian relative of the smaller South American mammal was born on December 4, at the Antwerp Zoo in Belgium.
The Malayan tapir is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Adult Malayan tapirs are sometimes called ‘Oreo’ tapirs because of their distinctive black and white color pattern. The stripes and spots on the babies help them blend into the shadows of the forest and protect them from predators.
The Malayan tapir calf was reportedly the fourth calf and first son from its mother, Nakal. Zoo caretaker Lynn Van Steenvort said in a statement, ‘The baby is doing great. It's very lively and playful. It hops very happily and it breastfeeds from its mother without problem.’
Caretakers at the zoo picked two names for the baby, Wayan and Willy, and the public will be able to vote for their favorite via the zoo’s Instagram.