Playtime for baby Baku

A baby tapir calf at RZSS Edinburgh zoo has been filmed playing with his father Mowgli, who appears to just want to sleep.

Baku, the two month old calf, is shown jumping over his father in an attempt to get him to play, as well as persistently nudging him.

Karen Stiven, Hoofstock Team Leader at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo said; ”Baku has already grown so much and he has stolen our hearts with his charming nature. He is normally very busy exploring his large outdoor enclosure and is always running around and having fun.”

Stiven also said of the tapir calf; ”His distinctive spots and stripes have started to fade slightly and by the time he is six months old he will start to look like the adult tapirs- with a stocky black body and a white or grey midsection.”

Malaysian tapirs are listed as endangered on the IUCN red list, and are unfortunately increasingly threatened due to fragmentation, habit loss and hunting. Their population is estimated to have declined by 50% since 1980.