This fuzzy rare creature is uplifting viewers with her ‘cute antics,’ WA video shows
A “fuzzy watermelon”-looking animal in Washington is winning over the hearts of people on social media.
Ume is a white striped and speckled Malayan tapir calf that was born Feb. 2 at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. Her name means plum blossom and apricot in Japanese.
Since then she has been bonding with her mom Yuna, and now has a new tooth, the zoo said in a Feb. 20 Facebook post.
The zoo shared a video of the endangered tapir calf “mouthing” at hay in her enclosure.
This latest video prompted nearly 200 comments from adoring Facebook users.
“They are the strangest looking things, but she is utterly adorable,” one person commented.
“Please tell her i love her and that she is the cornerstone of my mental health at the moment,” another person wrote.
“Thank you for sharing these adorable video clips of lil’ Ume. Her cute antics are uplifting,” someone else commented.
What to know about the Malayan tapir
The Malayan tapir is the largest of the four tapir species, according to the Tapir Specialist Group.
This species is found in Asia in southern Myanmar and southern Thailand.
Tapirs are herbivores and have long and flexible noses for snagging leaves and fruit, the zoo said.
When they are babies, they are born with white stripes and dots to blend in with their environment.
The “mostly nocturnal” animal typically lives alone but may live in a pair.
Zoo officials said the tapir is endangered due to disappearing forests, farms, logging and being hunted by humans.
This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM with the headline "This fuzzy rare creature is uplifting viewers with her ‘cute antics,’ WA video shows."
