Cute New Tapir at San Diego Zoo Is Looking for the Perfect Name

The San Diego Zoo is celebrating the birth of a baby Tapir cub, and they're now looking for help in finding the perfect name.

On June 27, 2024, the San Diego Zoo shared a video to its official TikTok account highlighting an adorable new baby and asking for help in giving her a name. Here's what you need to know.

In a quick 12-second video , we're introduced to a new Tapir baby, who was born at the San Diego Zoo. This adorable baby needs a name.

Related: Baby Tapir Getting His Belly Scratched Is Pure Joy

"There's a new tiny Tapir at the San Diego Zoo," the video text explains. And it's a very cute baby! It looks like a cross between a deer, pig, and a bit of a zebra with its interesting patterned coat.

"She was born on June 2nd, and still needs a name," the video continued. The little calf baby is adorable with her strange nose that looks like a really short elephant snout, and she's always wiggling it as we get used to the new world around her (with her mom close by, of course).

Although the video is short, it gives us a pretty good snapshot of the Tapir calf's personality. With endless possibilities, people in the comments try to help narrow down the perfect name for this adorable Tapir calf.

"Help us name the new Tapir tot," the video's caption reads. And the comment section filled up pretty quickly with suggestions.

"Noot Noot shall be its name," one person wrote.

"Snoopert," someone else offered, "it fits. I don't know why tho."

"You should name her Doug," suggested someone else.

"Moose," another wrote.

"Noo noo, like the vacuum from the Teletubbies," was another suggestion.

But, the zoo directed people to its website to vote on the best name out of four options.

"Born to mom Luna and dad Felix, the calf was born June 2nd and is Luna's third calf," the website explains.

"An endangered species, Baird's tapirs are native to Mexico and Central America. Our Wildlife Care team put together this list of names honoring the calf's native landscapes, her mom, and her amazing coloring."

The name options for the baby Tapir include:

1. Melancia (The Portuguese word for "watermelon")
2. Ixchel (After the Mayan goddess of the moon)
3. Hayetzi (The Mayan word for "moon droplet")
4. Soona (An Otomi name that means "moon")

There aren't any details on when the voting closes, but at the time of publishing, it looks like the name Soona is in the lead as the winner so far.

Interesting Facts About Tapir

According to the San Diego Zoo , Tapirs are "most closely related to horses and rhinos," but they look like they take after several animals, including pigs, anteaters, deer, and elephants, too.

The zoo explains that these guys are typically found in "wetlands, forests, savannas, and rainforests" and can be found in "Mexico, Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia's Malaya and Sumatra."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ), tapir numbers in the wild are decreasing. The Malay tapir is considered endangered, and the lowland tapir is considered vulnerable.