Fortuana, affectionately known as Chana, has been a much-loved resident of Dartmoor Zoo for many years. On Friday 4th April 2025, she was joined by Erro, a male Brazilian Tapir from Linton Zoo, where the pair formed a strong bond almost immediately, with signs of successful mating observed within just a month of Erro's arrival.
Following a recent ultrasound examination on Tuesday 7th July, Dartmoor Zoo is delighted to announce that Chana is expecting. This exciting milestone marks a significant success for both the Zoo and the conservation of this remarkable species and whilst Chana is an experienced mother, for Erro, this will be his first calf.
In the last 12 months, just 15 calves have been born in zoos worldwide, and only one of them born in the UK. In a delightful twist of fate, this UK calf now calls Linton Zoo home, the very same zoo that Erro originally came from!
CEO Dr David Gibson commented: “The Brazilian Tapir is classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable, meaning it is as risk of extinction in the wild. It is our duty as a modern, conservation focused Zoo to do our best to conserve species threatened with extinction wherever we can. In the last 12 months there has only been 15 zoo-based births of this species globally. Here in the UK, there was only 1 Brazilian Tapir born. This fact alone makes Chana's pregnancy very important not just to Dartmoor Zoo but zoos as a whole.”
With an estimated 16,000 left in the wild, Brazilian Tapir are classified as Vulnerable as part of the IUCN Red List. This species faces many threats including deforestation, agricultural expansion, hunting and roadkill.
Inhabiting the tropical forests, wetlands, and swamps of Northern and Central South America, Brazilian Tapir are primarily found in the Amazon Rainforest and similar regions across Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Northern Argentina. As a semi-aquatic species, they require permanent water sources like rivers and lakes for bathing, swimming, and foraging.
Head Keeper Jenna Crawford commented: “The whole team is absolutely bursting with excitement with the confirmation of Chana’s pregnancy. It truly felt like sitting beside a family member watching them receive their happy news. As a keeper team, having an animal completely unphased during a medical procedure is an accomplishment of the highest order. Watching her willingly roll onto her side for the scan and relax so much that she actually took a nap was joyous. Let the mum to be pampering commence!”
Whilst there is no due date confirmed for the little one’s birth yet, by following Dartmoor Zoo’s social media pages, you’ll be kept up to date on Chana’s journey and ultimately, the birth announcement.
If you are able and willing, please donate towards more conservation projects like this, to help Dartmoor Zoo keep up the good fight!
Did you know you can adopt our Brazilian Tapir family, where your support helps to pay for the care, feeding and general wellbeing of these animals for an entire year?
To find out more about Dartmoor Zoo visit www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk.