Too cute! Endangered Malayan tapir born at Point Defiance Zoo

SEATTLE -- An endangered Malayan tapir was born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium over the weekend; the first in the zoo’s history.

The male calf was born Friday night, and both he and mom Yuna are doing well, according to the zoo.

The brown striped and spotted little guy still doesn’t have a name and will be out of view so he and mom can bond, but the zoo hopes to the whole family in public view soon.

Malayan tapirs are increasingly endangered due to deforestation of their natural habitat in Southeast Asia.

With short legs and thick bodies, they bare a resemblance to pigs. But the species is, in fact, more directly related to horses.

The calf was born as part of the zoo’s breeding program.

“Nothing in our mission to practice and promote effective conservation on behalf of the world’s wildlife is more important than the births we’ve witnessed at the zoo this spring and summer,” said Alan Varsik, director of Zoological & Environmental Education for Metro Parks Tacoma.