1.7M views · 649 shares | After escaping a conservation center, this tapir needed a lot of help from humans when it got trapped in a pond. | National Geographic | Facebook

Water baby! 💦 Tapirs can swim and often cool off in water. This South American tapir at the Emperor Valley Zoo enjoys the water jets each time his pond is being refilled! Tapir Fact! - Tapirs are related to horses and rhinoceroses! #Tapir #EmperorValleyZoo | Emperor Valley Zoo

Tapirs are gentle, plant-eating mammals found in the forests and grasslands of Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. They are closely related to horses and rhinos and are known for their short, flexible snouts, which they use to grab leaves and fruit. Baby tapirs, called calves, are born with white spots and stripes across their dark brown bodies. These markings help them blend into their surroundings and stay hidden from predators. As they grow, the patterns fade, and they begin to loo