Solo Adventure: Malayan tapir calf takes her first steps outside Chester Zoo

MEET Solo, the adorable Malayan tapir calf who has been taking her first steps outside at Chester Zoo

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Video Footage Courtesy of: Chester Zoo
Producer: Crystal Chung, Ellie Winstanley
Editor: Sonia Estal

Tapir calf Solo was named after the longest river on the Indonesian island of Java

At just over one-month-old, the tiny youngster, who is the first of her species to ever be born at the zoo, paraded around showing off her dark brown coat covered in white spots and stripes under the watchful eyes of her mum Margery.

Juvenile Malayan tapirs are known to lose their patterns in the first year of their life

Solo was born last month at Chester Zoo and she was named after the longest river on the Indonesian island of Java.

Tapirs are related to both the horse and the rhinoceros and have poor eyesight, so they rely heavily on their smell

The one-month-old tapir is the first of her species to ever be born at the zoo

Juvenile Malayan tapirs are known to lose their patterns in the first year of their life as they develop their adult coats, with one half of their bodies black and the other half white.

Solo paraded around showing off her dark brown coat covered in white spots and stripes

Tapirs are related to both the horse and the rhinoceros and have poor eyesight, so they rely heavily on their excellent senses of smell and hearing.

Tapirs are an endangered species and less than 2,500 are now thought to exist in the forests

Tapirs like little Solo can grow almost two metres long and weigh around 720 pounds.

Keepers at Chester zoo say Solo’s arrival is hugely significant

Malayan tapirs are an endangered species and less than 2,500 are now thought to exist in the forests and rainforests of their native South East Asia, largely due to the destruction of their habitat.

Solo's arrival will add valuable genetics to the European endangered species breeding programme

Keepers at Chester zoo say Solo’s arrival is hugely significant as he will add valuable genetics to the European endangered species breeding programme which is working to ensure a safety net population of Malayan tapirs in zoos, ensuring they do not go extinct.