b'A View ofTHE ZOORare South American Tapir Born at Wildlife World Zoo!W ildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park announceand sensitivity to habitat loss, tapirs are often among the first the birth of a rare South American tapir! To ensurespecies to decline when humans disturb an ecosystem. The the newborns survival, the calf is receiving around- South American tapir is the largest surviving native terrestrial the-clock care by Wildlife Worlds expert hand raising andmammal in the Amazon.veterinarian team inside their Baby Animal Nursery! Wildlife Worlds keepers and Vulnerable to extinction, the South American tapir isOf the endlessly inspiring animal and plant species that makeveterinarians have raised Contributing photographers: Charles Ralston, Lee Magenheim, Lorenzo Fuentes and Jolene Westerlingthreatened by habitat destruction and hunting (for their meatup the diversity of life on Earth, tapirs play an incrediblydozens of species of wild and and hides). Due to their large size, slow rate of reproduction,important role in developing and maintaining healthyendangered animals over the ecosystems. Known as Gardeners of the Forest, theypast quarter-century. Wildlife consume a vast variety of plant matter, then disperse theWorld strives to maximize seeds through their scat. This not only improves forest healthgenetic diversity in the zoological overall, but it also spreads the seeds of certain slow-growingpopulation with its breeding trees with very dense woodthe very trees most importantprograms. As a USDA licensed private institution accredited for sequestering carbon. This makes the tapir one of theby the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) and the worlds most crucial helpers in combating climate change! Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA), Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park receives zero Tapirs are among the most primitive large mammals in thetaxpayer funding. No tax dollars have ever been spent to build world, changing little in appearance for millions of years.or operate Wildlife World in its 36-year history. This prehistoric-looking animal looks like a massive pig with a long snout. However, because they have an odd number ofWildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 toes (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot),W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park (southeast corner of State their closest relatives are horses and rhinos.Route 303 and Northern Ave). Wildlife World looks forward to continuing to inspire the community to conserve and protect With more than 600 species and 6000 animals on display,wildlife in wild places as they have done in the past 35 years.there are always new arrivals at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park. Other babies on display include For more information call 602-321-5478 a baby giraffe, litter of black-backed jackals, endangeredor visit Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter addax & Arabian oryx, and other youngsters throughout @ZooWildlife, and WildlifeWorld.com.the 100-acre park.ArizonaRealCountry.com April 2021 31'