The recent birth of a rare Malayan tapir at a zoo in southern Germany went “wonderfully well,” according to a curator at Nuremberg zoo who said the yet-to-be-named female was up on its feet “within seconds.”

Curator and tapir expert Diana Koch said the offspring of mother “Indy” was born on March 25 and as is typical for tapirs, she gave birth to just one calf.

"We left them in peace that evening, letting the mother and calf get used to each other and the next day we weighed it, and it weighed between eight and nine kilos,” or 17 to 19 pounds.

The Asian tapir is larger than its American relatives, according to Nuremberg zoo.

"Its black-and-white markings provide excellent camouflage in the undergrowth. Its outline is virtually indistinguishable in the dappled shade of the forest,” the zoo says on its website, adding the animal has an "excellent sense of smell.”

“Tapirs are good at detecting predators. As they are strong swimmers and divers, they flee to the nearest body of water when danger threatens. They usually submerge completely and use their trunk as a snorkel.”

The offspring born in Nuremberg will stay with its mother for the next one and a half to two and a half years, said curator Diana Koch.

"It may also be introduced to the father once it’s a bit bigger and more settled, if that works out.”

For now, the calf is feeding on its mother’s milk, "but it is already starting to nibble on branches and such, so it will probably soon start nibbling on and eating a bit of vegetable as well,” Koch added.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

MALAYAN TAPIR MOM “INDY” WITH YET TO BE NAMED FEMALE OFFSPRING BORN AT NUREMBERG ZOO ON MARCH 25 / CURATOR COMMENTING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: NUREMBERG, GERMANY (MARCH 31, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF MALAYAN TAPIR MOM “INDY” WITH YET-TO-BE-NAMED FEMALE OFFSPRING AT INDOOR ENCLOSURE

2. OFFSPRING’S DAD “MORSE” TROTTING ALONG IN A DIFFERENT ENCLOSURE

3. VARIOUS OF “INDY” WITH OFFSPRING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (German) CURATOR AND TAPIR EXPERT, DIANA KOCH, SAYING:

“The Malayan tapir calf was born on Wednesday afternoon (March 25). It all went wonderfully well. It only took a few seconds, then it was already standing up and walking around. It’s typical for Malayan tapirs to have just one calf. We left them in peace that evening, letting the mother and calf get used to each other and the next day we weighed it, and it weighed between eight and nine kilos.”

5. TAPIR OFFSPRING CLIMBING ONTO MOTHER’S BACK

6. SIGN IN GERMAN WITH TITLE READING “IF IN DANGER, JUMP INTO THE WATER!”

7. VARIOUS OF “INDY” AND OFFSPRING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (German) CURATOR AND TAPIR EXPERT, DIANA KOCH, SAYING:

"Tapirs are very, very primal animals. They are regarded as 'living fossil' and haven’t really evolved much over millions of years. That means not much can actually go wrong with them – it’s all very much hard-wired into their genetics. (laughs) As a result, the birth happens very quickly. With the last calf, she gave birth lying down. This time, the mother gave birth standing up. It really only took a few seconds, and then she cleaned the calf and cleared its face so it could breathe, and then looked after it a bit, always checking where it was, and let it drink when the time was right.”

9. VARIOUS OF CALF LYING ON STRAW

10. (SOUNDBITE) (German) CURATOR AND TAPIR EXPERT, DIANA KOCH, SAYING:

"We now know that the young animal is a female, which fits in very well with our breeding population, as we currently have a slight surplus of males. For now, the young animal will stay with its mother for the next one and a half to two and a half years, and may also be introduced to the father once it’s a bit bigger and more settled, if that works out. It’s still feeding on its mother’s milk, but is already starting to nibble on branches and such, so it will probably soon start nibbling on and eating a bit of vegetable as well.”

11. MOTHER “INDY” LICKING OFFSPRING