subject: Tapirs Get Extra Sun Protection in Hot Weather! [print this page] Tapirs Get Extra Sun Protection in Hot Weather!
Keepers at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Kent, have been taking turns applying sun cream to the Tapirs due to the recent sunny weather. The soaring temperatures have meant that the Malayan Tapirs, including 4 year old Istana, have to be cover in sun cream to prevent them burning while out and about in there enclosures. Malayan Tapirs live in shady rainforests and have particularly sensitive skin.
Keeper Bob Savill commented:
"Just like people, animals can get burned by UV rays and it is important to protect them where necessary from painful and potentially dangerous sun burn. Tapirs in particular need a helping hand keeping their sensitive skin protected from the sun. They don't seem to mind the sun-cream being applied and most visitors don't tend to notice! We use a special Equine sun cream that is safe, water resistant and fitting as Tapirs are in fact a kind of prehistoric horse"
In the wild, Malayan Tapir live in south East Asia, mainly in Malaysia, Sumatra and Thailand. Tapir numbers are estimated to have gone through a massive decline of 50% in the last 3 generations due to habitats being destroyed.
The Malayan Tapir is one of many specials protected by The Aspinall Foundation as it's endangered and is in increasing decline. The charity manages Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. At port Lympne, there have been seven successful Malayan Tapir births, the latest being Tengui, in 2006. The work of The Aspinall Foundation both at its Kent Zoo's and overseas is funded entirely by the visitor sector and revenue and donations from the public. This helps The Aspinall Foundation take care of all the animals in their zoos and ensure their safety from habitats being destroyed and from poachers.
