"Sparks" of Joy for Tapir Day! - The Belize Zoo

"Sparks" of Joy for Tapir Day!

We had a blast with lots of tapir themed fun, and, of course, the big reveal of the unbelievablyenchanting baby tapir: SPARKS! At just three weeks old, and now weighing an impressive 30pounds, 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 Spanishfor fire. And fires, of course, give off “Sparks”. We all love that name entry, and little Sparks isquickly learning that this is his “calling card” here at the Zoo.

The Central American tapir is an Endangered species. Very few of these important largeherbivores remain within their geographic range; Belize is one of their last strongholds in thisregion. Tapirs are critical in keeping tropical forests in a healthy state. Increased forest habitatdestruction and vehicle collisions threaten their remaining populations. It is the hope of TheBelize Zoo that, by highlighting “Sparks” and our other members of “Tapir Town”, a growing

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"Sparks" of Joy for Tapir Day! - The Belize Zoo

appreciation and awareness will serve to see that our special National Animal will always bepresent 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 withus.

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"Sparks" of Joy for Tapir Day! - The Belize Zoo

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