Mayo, a mountain tapir, was orphaned in Nariño, Colombia after his mother was killed by hunters in 2014. Just eight days old, he was in critical condition when he was rescued, but the staff at Zoológico de Cali worked quickly to save the infant.
For five months, Mayo was cared for by veterinarians and medical technicians, according to El País, and he was finally ready for the next stage of his life: sharing a habitat with another tapir at the zoo.
Every day, for an hour at a time, "Mayito" and Cedona, a 15-year-old tapir living at the zoo, would get the chance to observe each other, snuffle and sniff and get used to each other. After a month, Mayo and Cedona were ready to be roommates.
Cendona, being "longer in the tooth" than Mayo, was not used to an energetic toddler running around. Mayo is a mischievous tapir who likes to play in the water and play hide-and-seek, according to El País. Cedona eventually grew accustomed to the antics of the little tapir and became a "great teacher."
