Depressed tapir turned on

It is thought to be the first tapir with television

A dejected tapir called Debbie is being encouraged to watch television to raise her spirits.

The new arrival at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire, had been put into a pen with two males.

She became upset because one of them was aggressive towards her.

A keeper at the zoo came up with the television idea to prevent Debbie from becoming depressed while the problem was solved.

Molly Badham, a director at the zoo, told BBC News Online: "She is the first tapir ever to have had a TV set.

They do not take to the news readers at all

Molly Badham, zoo director

"We were having great trouble trying to integrate it [Debbie], and they [the tapirs] were not being very kind to each other.

"But we do have a lot of other animals with TV sets, mainly the chimps."

Debbie has now settled in with the more friendly male tapir.

'Blood and thunder'

The aggressive male has been moved to Bristol.

Ms Badham could not comment on reports that Debbie had been shown video tapes of an Amazonian rain forest.

However, she did elaborate on the viewing habits of the zoo's chimpanzees.

"They can really appreciate a programme, especially some blood and thunder with a bit of action, but they do not take to the news readers at all," she said.