Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris)

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 14 Jul 2008

One of the keepers with two of his charges - Brazilian tapirs (Tapirus terrestris). There are four species of tapir, all of which classified as endangered or vulnerable. The Brazilian tapir is the largest of the family, and the largest wild land animal in South America. Tapirs live near water and can be found in the Amazon rainforest and river basin but their range stretches from Venezuela, Colombia and the Guianas to Brazil, Argentina and Paraquay and to Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. They resemble large pigs in shape but their closest relatives are horses and rhinoceroses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapir After closure of the old Cromer Zoo > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/838872 in 1983, the new Zoo Park - called 'Amazona' - has finally opened its doors on 28th June 2007. It had taken two years to transform the ten acres of neglected woodland - surrounding an abandoned brick factory > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/883179 and kilns > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/883218 - into a zoo which now is home to a wide range of animals from tropical South America such as jaguar, otters, spider monkeys and flamingos. All the animals have come from other British zoos, none are imported from the wild. The zoo is expected to attract 50,000 visitors a year, and comes 25 years after the resort's previous zoo shut. The zoo has been developed by Ken Sims, owner of Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens near Great Yarmouth.

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