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PEMBROKESHIRE AIR PROVES GOOD FOR TAPIR BREEDING

Pembrokeshire attraction Folly Farm has third breeding success in four years with a suspected infertile Brazilian Tapir, the first male tapir to be born in Wales

Photo: Sommer, a Brazilian Tapir, initially thought to be infertile, gives birth to her third baby at Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, which was also the third baby of this endangered species to be born in Wales at the popular attraction near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

25 August 2010, Folly Farm, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire: Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo are today celebrating the arrival of a male baby Tapir, the third to a suspected infertile Brazilian Tapir on loan from another UK zoo.  Before joining Folly Farm, there had been numerous attempts to breed from Sommer, with different partners, all to no avail but there must be something in the Welsh air as after being united with Shawn in the beautiful, rolling Pembrokeshire countryside she has produced her third baby of this endangered species at Folly Farm, which is also the third baby Tapir to be born in Wales, following sisters Ligea and Yarah.  As a member of the horse family the baby Tapir has been named "Cavalo" which is the Brazilian word for horse.

Tim Morphew, Zoo Manager at Folly Farm, enthused; "We really did think when Sommer arrived at Folly Farm in 2005 that might we may have an infertile tapir on our hands but it turns out her new partner Shawn was all she needed...and maybe some nice, clean Welsh air!  

"Having provided us with our first male baby tapir, Shawn and Sommer have significantly furthered our involvement in the Breeding Programme for this endangered species."

The Brazilian Tapir at Folly Farm are part of a European Endangered Species Breeding Programme which aims to safeguard the captive population of the species and works with conservation programmes to reintroduce them into their native environment in South America.  Ligea and Yarah, Shawn and Sommer's daughters, will provide opportunities for further breeding with future males loaned to Folly Farm but the arrival of Cavalo means the Breeding Programme can be strengthened further as eventually he will re-homed at another European zoo to aid their captive breeding efforts. 

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For press enquiries please contact;

Zoe Wright
PR and Marketing Manager
Tel: 01834 815032
Email: zoe@folly-farm.co.uk