A tapir, the South American relative of a rhinoceros and a horse, appeared in the Regional Landscape Park. It arrived within the framework of the European Endangered Species Programme from the zoo of Szeged (Hungary) with which the Feldman Ecopark cooperates through the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA).
“This is a three-year-old female by the name Dalma that belongs to the species of lowland tapirs that is under the threat of extinction. It feels fine after the journey to Ukraine, stays in quarantine and adapts on the new place. We feed it with vegetables, fruit and grain, and as delicacy we give grapes, tomatoes and onions – it loves them very much — he Feldman Ecopark deputy director of zootechnic issues Valeriia Ivashchenko told. – In a week when the quarantine ends, we will transfer Dalma to the warm exposition enclosure, and the Ecopark’s guests will be able to get acquainted with it closer. So far, it is the only representative of this species in our zoo collection, but we expect that we will find the boyfriend for Dalma soon. Friendly capybaras will be around to keep it company”.
Besides, in the Regional Landscape Park emphasized that it is possible to take over Dalma as well as over other animals within the National Ecopark programme. The organizations, the enterprises or individuals who will want to take this nice female of a tapir under guardianship can contact our Info Centre Feldman Ecopark by ph. +38 (050) 401 0912 or write us an e-mail feldmanecoparkinfo@gmail.com
It should be noted that tapirs are herbivorous solidungulate mammals, bearing certain similarity to a pig, but unlike it possessing the short trunk, adapted for prehension. Evolutionary the closest to tapirs are other equid representatives: horses, donkeys, zebras and rhinoceroses. Though earlier tapirs were widespread, today there are only five species: four in Central and South America and one in Southeast Asia.
It should be reminded that in 2016, the Regional Landscape Park Feldman Ecopark became the member of the Ukrainian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (UAZA) and the candidate for membership in the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). The Feldman Ecopark’s partners in programme aimed at the preservation of rare species are many zoos worldwide, among them are Riga National Zoo (Latvia), Dvur Kralove (Czech Republic), Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (Israel), the zoological complex Skansen (Sweden), Maya Biosphere Reserve (Guatemala) and others.
