‘Fuzzy watermelon’-looking endangered baby animal named after another fruit, WA zoo says
A rare and endangered baby animal that looks like a “fuzzy watermelon” has a new name, and it’s also a fruit, a Washington zoo said.
The white striped and speckled Malayan tapir calf was named Ume, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma said in a Feb. 11 Facebook post.
In Japanese, Ume means plum blossom and apricot, the zoo said.
The 20-pound baby girl was born Feb. 2, making her the second tapir to be born at the zoo in its 120-year history, McClatchy News reported.
“Mom and baby are thriving behind the scenes, and we can’t wait to share more updates soon,” the zoo said in the post.
Her mom is Yuna, and she’s 10 years old and weighs nearly 900 pounds, zoo officials said. Her dad is Baku, and he’s also 10 and weighs 800 pounds.
Yuna means kindness and superiority in Japanese, while Baku references a dream-eating creature.
What to know about the Malayan tapir
The Malayan tapir is the largest of the four tapir species, according to the Tapir Specialist Group.
This species is found in Asia in southern Myanmar and southern Thailand.
Tapirs are herbivores and have long and flexible noses for snagging leaves and fruit, the zoo said.
When they are babies, they are born with white stripes and dots to blend in with their environment.
The “mostly nocturnal” animal typically lives alone but may live in a pair.
Zoo officials said the tapir is endangered due to disappearing forests, farms, logging and being hunted by humans.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 9:03 AM with the headline "‘Fuzzy watermelon’-looking endangered baby animal named after another fruit, WA zoo says."
