Malaysia has sent a pair of Malayan tapir to Japan to be loaned to Nagasaki Biopark for 10 years to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of wildlife conservation.

The male tapir named Im, aged three years one month and female tapir named Bertam, aged three years nine months, will depart at 9.30 pm via a Thai Airways aircraft from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Fukuoka before being brought by land to Nagasaki to be placed at Nagasaki Biopark.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar handed over the passports of the Malayan tapir pair symbolically to Nagasaki Biopark director Tetsufumi Fukuki at Animal Hotel, KLIA MasKargo Complex here today.

The handing over of the tapirs is a follow-up from the Malayan Tapir breeding loan agreement that was signed between the National Parks and Wildlife Protection Department (Perhilitan) and Nagasaki Biopark, Japan last October.

Speaking to reporters after the handing over ceremony, Wan Junaidi said four Perhilitan officers will also accompanied the tapir pair to Japan to share their experience on the care of tapir besides acquiring new knowledge from the Nagasaki Biopark for a month.

"If the pair have an offspring in Nagasaki Biopark, the baby Malayan tapir belongs to Malaysia and will be returned to Malaysia," he said.

Meanwhile Fukuki said the Nagasaki Biopark was ready to offer 'honeymoon experience' to Im and Bertam.

"All the handling of documents after the arrival of the Malayan tapir pair in Japan is ready and Im and Bertam need not be quarantined upon arrival in Japan.

"Given that the climate in Japan is cold at present, Im and Bertam will be accomodated in an area with controlled temperature to match that in Malaysia," he said, adding that it cost 10 million yen (RM341,000) to ship Im and Bertam to Japan, which was borne by the Nagasaki Biopark.

Fukuki said Nagasaki Biopark has planted a variety of foods for the Malayan tapir pair, namely sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bamboo shoots and jackfruit since a year ago.

He said visitors at Nagasaki Biopark can observe Im and Bertam at close range and touch them during the spring in April next year.

Malayan Tapir is a fully protected species under the Wildlife Act 2010 (Act 716) and it is extimated to be 1,100 to 1,500 tapirs in the peninsula.