Baird’s Tapir Rescue / Nashville Zoo

By 12 January, Nashville Zoo Animal Care Staff had waited over 13 months for the arrival of the Zoo’s second Baird’s Tapir in two years. Soon after the calf’s delivery it became clear that something was wrong.

The baby’s embryonic sac did not break, so he could not breathe and began to rapidly lose vitality. Zoo staff made the decision to intervene and moved mother Houston out of the stall. They then freed the baby from the sac, verified he still had a heart rate, and immediately cleared his airways and performed mouth-to-nose resuscitation until he was fully breathing on his own. Thanks to their heroic efforts and quick action, the calf is doing well — via ZooBorns