Lowland Tapirs at Chester Zoo, England

All photos on this page copyright Mary Beaird 2007.

Our thanks to Mary for loaning us these photos of Chester Zoo's mom and baby lowland tapir. Chester Zoo has a long history of raising and breeding this species of tapir, allowing fans to see and learn about tapir babies every couple of years.

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April 27, 2009: Cartoon Tapirs by Mary Beaird for World Tapir Day 2009

Here's another fun bit of tapir art uploaded to the "Tapirs" Google Group by artist Mary Beaird to help celebrate World Tapir Day. Click the pic for a larger image!

Please remember to join us on the World Tapir Day Facebook Page, and learn how you can contribute to saving a piece of tapir habitat in the rainforest of Ecuador.

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Mountain tapir design available on coffe mugs and more

Tapir fan and Club Tapir supporter Mary Beaird of England send us this adorable original tapir artwork to use as a fundraiser in our CafePress TPF gift shop. Check it out! The mountain tapir "Peace" image appears on mugs, mouse pads, journals and more. I love the Andean-theme detail of the tapir's hat!

May 17, 2008: More elephant-elephant-hippo-rhino Stuff by Mary Beaird

All images in this post are copyright Mary Beaird

and have been transferred from the "Tapirs" Google Group

where Mary posted them on May 17, 2008.

Text is by Mary Beaird.)

Hallo

I thought I'd just give you a quick update on what's been happening in "Keanu's World". My first ever commision! Last year one of my work colleagues asked me to design her civil partnership invitations. Originally she wanted tapir versions of herself and her partner, but it proved too hard to put the clothes on them, and so I drew the happy couple normally and reinvented the guys as purple cherubs. Keanu is causing chaos as usual ... ^_-

Then we were asked to design new badges for the comics group to sell at events, and I reused the designs for "The Little Angels" set. I'll let you know how they get on, and I may have some more made independently. If I do, I'll be sure to send some to the Tapir gift shop.

[Editor's Note: Check out Mary's designs on shirts and other useful items in her online Zazzle store.]

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This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.
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Nov 8, 2007: Fun with "elephant elephant hippo rhino***?"

(All images in this post are copyright Mary Beaird

and have been transferred from the "Tapirs" Google Group

where Mary posted them on November 8, 2007.

Text is by Mary Beaird.)

Er, okay, I've gone all shy. I feel like I'm being a bighead and I'm a little bit uncomfortable with it. (Sheryl put me up to it ^_-)

I write a comic called "elephant elephant hippo rhino...?" It's about two animals in a zoo and what they get up to to relieve the boredom when the humans aren't watching.

It was only ever meant to be a one-off but things didn't quite go to plan and #2 came out last month.

The two main characters are a Tapir called Keanu (after Keanu Reeves) and a Rhino called Dave (because everyone has a friend called Dave).

It's a bit surreal and a lot of the humour is aimed at anime and science fiction fans - with occasional shots at the gaming community and computer "geeks" in general.

It's published by Sweatdrop Studios, but don't rush and buy it online just yet as I am going to try and beg some copies back from stock and gift them to the shop, so you can buy them there and Tapir Gallery gets the benefit from selling them. On the other hand, if you absolutely can't wait until (probably) the New Year, you can buy them at Sweatdrop.com, I'll get 80% back and as I donate to the projects every month you'll be helping me to help the tapirs in a roundabout sort of way. That's all a bit surreal in itself... oh well, never mind.

Anyway, here are a few teasers of the "boys"; the baby girl Tapir with the bow is Trinity - Keanu's little cousin, who turns up for 3 pages in issue 2 (believe me, 3 is quite enough).

If the tapirs look a bit wrong it's because they are aliens poorly desguised as Tapirs.... yes.... REALLY (Well, that's MY story and I'm sticking to it!)






PS. Oh yes, there are some teeshirts knocking around as well made by a company called Genki Gear, and although I still own the characters the tees only half belong to me, so I can't get hold of any of those at the moment. But you never know, maybe later. Until then the good news there is anything I make from the sale of those will go into a Keanu and Dave soft toy fund, and if I manage to make that a reality, Tapir Gallery will get a stack of those to sell!

Anyway, enough of blowing my own trumpet. I'm off to bed. Goodnight.

[Editor's Note: Check out the review on Comic Mole.]

Please e-mail your photos and text if you would like to see them on this blog.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

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