Portrait of a Tapir at the Point Defiance Zoo

Tacoma, Washington ~ August 27, 2006

Point Defiance Zoo

This Asian or Malayan tapir appears on a mural at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.

Here's the tapir again with a few friends. I enjoyed the surprise of finding a tapir among the other animals in this outdoor painting. The zoo does much to educate their visitors about tapirs.

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Tapir Skull at Point Defiance Zoo

August 27, 2006 ~ Tacoma, Washington

Point Defiance Zoo

There was a tapir skull on display outside the Asian tapir enclosure at Point Defiance Zoo on one of my trips up there in 2006. Tapir skulls are interesting and there was a nice young woman giving info to anyone who would listen, explaining points about the skull. Notice the huge area between the top of the jaw and that small triangle of bone above it. This is the space necessary for all the passages and muscles of the tapir's nose.

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The eye socket is not enclosed, but is wide open towards the back of the head. This is a primitive form not seen in many mammals.

Check out the inside of the nasal cavity. I'm not sure what those parallel ridges are for. And check out the guy in the corner. See what I mean about the eye sockets being different?

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