Don't you worry, our love for these animals have not tapired off.
Now that we got that pun out of the way -- welcome to the portable mini collection of baby tapirs that will have you sporty a goofy grin on that lovely face of yours!
So much cute in such a small package! Enjoy!
It's World Tapir day today and you are probably wondering what is this odd little creature that looks a bit like a pig, with its general build and toes with hooves, but also a bit like a baby elephant with its long snout.
Well, this wonderful animal is currently on the watch-list as it has been over-hunted for its meat and hides.
World Tapir Day raises awareness about these endangered animals and helps to protect them for future generations.
Especially for this day, we have compiled an adorable list of baby tapirs that are just too cute to handle.
After a 13-month gestation period, a single tapir baby called a calf, is born while the mother stands. The calf is born with his eyes open, and it can stand one or two hours after birth. All tapir calves look like brown- and beige-striped watermelons on legs. This color pattern is great camouflage for the youngsters in the dappled sunlight of the forest, especially when the calf lies down on the ground while Mom forages. The calf begins to lose these markings after a few months, and when the youngster is about six months old, it looks like a miniature adult.
Bottom picture via: Zooborns
Today's Squee Spree is between two South American animals: The Pudú, the world's smallest deer, and the Tapir, with their unusual prehensile snout. Who will win? You decide! Check back next Monday for the results!
On this week's Squee Spree versus we have two very different but both very squeexotic creatures, the Coati and the Tapir. Coati are house-cat-sized, fluffy members of the raccoon family from South America, and Tapir are big ungulates from South Asia, with squeedorable, pig-like snouts. Which makes you squee?
Vote in the comments and be sure to check back Monday to see who won!
-Sally Squeeps
That squeedorably awkward moment when you try to kiss but your noses get in the way and bump each other.
- Sally Squeeps
