Meet the beautiful Brazilian Tapirs!
Don’t let their strange looks fool you, the zoo’s three Brazilian Tapirs are big sweethearts!
Chiquita:
Chiquita was born here at Adelaide Zoo on 27 August 2002. She’s a curious tapir who loves to play and can be a bit boisterous at times! She loves to be patted all over by her keepers. Her favourite treats are sweetcorn, carrot, red capsicum and sweet potato.
Arturo:
Male Arturo was born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in 2006, before moving to Melbourne Zoo in 2011. Arturo arrived to Adelaide Zoo in August 2019 and settled in fast, enjoying his favourite treats of sweet potato and carrot. Arturo lives close by to Jewels of Asian with a pair of Patagonian Mara.
Hinti:
Young Tapir Hinti arrived from Magdeburg Zoo in Germany in August 2026. His arrival made him the zoo’s first international animal import since 2019 and the first Brazilian Tapir imported to Adelaide Zoo in almost four decades. Hinti has shown his keepers that food is one of the easiest ways to win him over!
Visitors can now see Hinti at Adelaide Zoo and may even catch him checking out Chiquita next door as the pair continue getting acquainted in their shared habitat.
Brazilian Tapirs are one of five species of tapir, a quirky looking animal most closely related to the horse and rhinoceros. Their flexible trunk-like noses, or proboscis, help them eat leaves off low bushes and trees and they can even use it like a snorkel while swimming!
Brazilian Tapirs are primarily solitary animals found in lowland rainforests across much of South America, east of the Andes Mountains. They generally spend the day hiding in thick cover, and only emerge at night to feed on leaves, tree bark, reeds and fruit. Despite weighing between up to a hefty 250kg, these unique animals are terrific swimmers and spend much of their time wallowing in water to clear skin parasites and avoid predators like jaguars.
This species is listed as vulnerable and are under threat from deforestation, hunting and competition with domestic livestock.
Love tapirs? Join our wild family and help us ensure the future for many amazing species like the Brazilian Tapir! There are many ways you can help support these Brazilian beauties.
