Look at this fluffy Mountain Tapir

Look at this little tapir with its almighty ears

I came across this video by accident on YouTube several years ago, saved the link but hadn't watched it again until now. Thinking about it, I suspect that the man and definitely the tapir may have done this before -- the man knows where this lowland tapir likes to be scratched, and deftly uses the stick. The tapir knows where to stand, and at one point sits and raises a hind leg as a hint for where to scratch next.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-paj9efbxw

From Veloso, Mangini, and Vaz in "Biology, Medicine, and Surgery of South American Wild Animals" (2008):
"Tapirs appreciate being scratched, the more intensely [the] better. The neck, jaw, belly, and the inner sides of the legs are the preferential areas. Some remain immobile, other lie down, stretching out the legs in utter ecstasy."

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Happy First Tapir Tuesday of Spring, Everybody!

I am not sure whose photo this is -- photo search led to chie-na-shika's Tumblr. I matched up the rocks in the background with another photo showing similar Malayan tapirs, and Rachelle on Tumblr independently noted that this was taken at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha (before 2017 but not sure when). She says the tapirs are named Patrick (on the left, more prominent white ear tips) and Notches.
https://chie-na-shika.tumblr.com/post/38222744281/tapirus-indicus

https://preview.redd.it/443cf9fpx9ia1.png?width=291&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=6367e1001bbbf30365b61404f6d3e504659bf4ea

This was posted by the Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center. The tapir is very thin (can see her ribs in another photo they showed). Right now she's safe at their facility and is receiving medical treatment.

"We end our Sunday by sharing an amazing rescue story. The Belize Defence Force had called for aid when an adult female tapir started showing up at Da Silva Camp in the Mountain Pine Ridge. This poor lady was severely underweight, and eagerly accepted food from the concerned soldiers.

The Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic answered their call for help, and collaborated with our General Curator, Humberto Wohlers, to safely relocate the tapir to the Zoo. "Valentina" has a long road to recovery, but is now in good hands, and will receive the vital care she needs.

A tapir-tastic thank you goes out to Corporal Ba and his BDF colleagues, as well as BWRC and Belize Zoo staff who made Valentina's journey calm and comfortable."

The zoo added, "She was suffering from skin infections, parasites and a lung infection and her eye sight is very compromised as well. While we don't know what happened first, she struggled for a long time, declining. Our first suspicion was that she may have been orphaned, as she is not fully grown. We were able to give meds for a couple days before capture and she has started to show slight improvement. For now we hope she recovers."

Valentina