We had a blast with lots of tapir themed fun, and, of course, the big reveal of the unbelievably enchanting baby tapir: SPARKS! At just three weeks old, and now weighing an impressive 30 pounds, little Sparks boldly follows mamma Navidad around inspecting every inch of his home, and does not shy away from his many fans.

If you wonder why “Sparks” was offered as a name, it is because Dad tapir, “Fuego”, is Spanish for fire. And fires, of course, give off “Sparks”. We all love that name entry, and little Sparks is quickly learning that this is his “calling card” here at the Zoo.

The Central American tapir is an Endangered species. Very few of these important large herbivores remain within their geographic range; Belize is one of their last strongholds in this region. Tapirs are critical in keeping tropical forests in a healthy state. Increased forest habitat destruction and vehicle collisions threaten their remaining populations. It is the hope of The Belize Zoo that, by highlighting “Sparks” and our other members of “Tapir Town”, a growing appreciation and awareness will serve to see that our special National Animal will always be present in Belize, and proudly expressed in healthy populations.

We’d like to thank all our visitors that came out on Saturday to celebrate National Tapir Day with us.