Zoo Berlin delights with new black-backed tapir: Rakiju is here!

Zoo Berlin delights with new black-backed tapir: Rakiju is here!

Berlin Zoo is enjoying a new visitor magnet: a black-backed tapir named Rakiju arrived last week. Weighing 297 kilograms and being two years old, he causes a stir among guests. The new animal comes from the Zoo de La Boissière-du-Doré in France and is the first black-backed tapir to live in the Berlin Zoo for over 20 years. This makes it a particularly exciting attraction in the zoo's animal world.

For the time being, Rakiju lives alone in the Rhino Pagoda, an enclosure specially designed for him and his fellow rhinos. Zoo staff emphasize that Rakiju should initially settle in well, but has already explored the enclosure and taken his first bath. The visitors are enthusiastic about the black-backed tapir and express their joy on Facebook, especially regarding the question of whether a female is planned for Rakiju.

Future of the black-backed tapir

Berlin Zoo has announced that it is looking for a female Rakiju as part of the European Endangered Species Program (EEP). Black-backed tapirs are critically endangered and are on the IUCN Red List. Their habitat is increasingly being reduced by deforestation, poaching and the spread of agriculture and infrastructure projects. Therefore, every breeding measure is particularly important for the continued existence of this animal species.

At first glance, black-backed tapirs resemble pigs, but they are directly related to rhinos. Their striking appearance, reminiscent of a saddle pad, helps them camouflage themselves in their natural habitat. Visitors are invited to see Rakiju next weekend at the Rhino Pagoda, where he plays a central role in the zoo.

Popular animals at Berlin Zoo

Berlin Zoo is home to a total of around 20,000 animals, including popular species such as the dwarf hippo Toni and the panda twins Leni and Lotti. With the addition of Rakiju, the zoo gains another attraction that will rekindle visitors' fascination with the animal world.

Given the renewed excitement surrounding the new Black-backed Tapir, it remains to be seen how quickly it will settle into the zoo and whether there will soon be further additions to this fascinating species. Berlin Zoo seems determined to do its part to protect endangered species and to draw public attention to the protection of endangered animals.

For more information about the latest developments at the zoo and to experience the enthusiasm for rakiju first hand, there are more details on the pages of Berlin Live, Berlin Zoo and Day24.