Malayan tapir Ume makes her habitat debut at the Minnesota Zoo.

What do three palm-sized tortoises and a 500-pound tapir have in common? They all traveled nearly 1,700 miles to make their Minnesota Zoo debut!

Ume is a one-year-old Malayan tapir from Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. A star in her own right, Ume won many fans in Tacoma with her playful personality. Her travel companions were three, 4-inch Egyptian tortoises from Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

Their journey to the Zoo was no average road trip. To minimize travel time, the Zoo worked with a seasoned team who drove non-stop across the country in a single day using a special, temperature-controlled van. This complex process requires extensive communication, skill, and collaboration between the zoos and the drivers to ensure each animal arrives safely at their destination.

Ume’s transfer to the Minnesota Zoo is part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a collaborative breeding program that helps maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations of endangered species in human care. With only about 2,500 Malayan tapirs remaining in the wild, Ume plays an important role in the future of her species.

Ume’s fellow travelers carry an equally important legacy. Only the size of a quarter at birth, Egyptian tortoises are one of the world’s most trafficked animals due to their small size. Once thriving, they are now critically endangered in the wild. At the Zoo, these three tiny tortoises will help educate guests about the devastating impact the illegal pet trade has on wildlife.

Guests can meet Ume and the tortoises on the Zoo’s Tropics Trail now!