A curious new arrival has made his public debut at Adelaide Zoo, with two-year-old Brazilian Tapir Hinti now exploring his new home after making the journey from Germany.
Hinti arrived at Adelaide Zoo from Magdeburg Zoo in Germany and, after completing his quarantine period, has now ventured out into his habitat for the first time.
The young male has wasted little time investigating his new surroundings, following his nose/proboscis to explore the different sights and smells of his new home and quickly showing his keepers that food is one of the easiest ways to win him over.
Hinti has also been particularly curious about his new neighbour, female 23 year old Brazilian Tapir Chiquita.
The pair are currently getting to know each other through a fence, giving them the opportunity to see, smell and interact with one another while the keeping team monitors how their relationship develops.
Adelaide Zoo Director Chad Crittle said Hinti had settled in well and was showing plenty of curiosity in his new surroundings.
“Hinti is a really inquisitive young tapir and it’s been fantastic watching him come out of quarantine and start exploring his new home,” Chad said.
“He loves investigating all the different smells around the habitat, he certainly enjoys his food, and he has been very curious about Chiquita next door.
“At the moment they can interact with each other through the fence, which gives them time to get to know one another. We’ll take things at their pace and, if everything continues to go well, we hope to eventually introduce them and see them sharing the habitat.”
Hinti’s arrival is also an important milestone for Adelaide Zoo.
Outside of Giant Pandas Yi Lan and Xing Qiu, Hinti is the zoo’s first international animal import since 2019 and the first Brazilian Tapir imported to Adelaide Zoo in almost four decades.
The last was Chiquita’s mother, Talara, who arrived at Adelaide Zoo in 1989.
“It’s really exciting to welcome Hinti to Adelaide Zoo, particularly given it has been such a long time since we have welcomed a Brazilian Tapir from overseas,” Chad said.
“International transfers like this play an important role in maintaining healthy and genetically diverse zoo populations, and Hinti’s arrival is an exciting step for the future of Brazilian Tapirs here at Adelaide Zoo.”
Brazilian Tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) are one of five species of tapir and, despite their quirky appearance, are most closely related to horses and rhinoceroses.
Their distinctive flexible, trunk-like nose, known as a proboscis, helps them grasp leaves and other vegetation and can even be used like a snorkel when swimming.
Native to South America, Brazilian Tapirs can weigh up to 250 kilograms and are excellent swimmers, often spending time in water to cool down and wallow.
The species is listed as Vulnerable to extinction, with wild populations threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting and competition with domestic livestock.
Visitors can now meet Hinti at Adelaide Zoo and may even catch him checking out Chiquita next door as the pair continue getting acquainted.
Brazilian Tapir facts
- Scientific name: Tapirus terrestris
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
- Found in: South America
- Length: 1.7 to 2 metres
- Height: 77 to 108 centimetres
- Weight: 200 to 250 kilograms
