Brevard Zoo Welcomes a Litter of Capybaras
March 20, 2014
Florida's Brevard Zoo has had a flood of births over the past few months, including a litter of Capybaras!
The zoo's Capybaras are a mixed group, with juveniles from previous births as well as a new litter. The six new pups bring the total number of Capybaras at the zoo up to thirteen.
Photo credits: Brevard Zoo / Tom Brackin (3, 4)
Keepers are finding that each pup is developing their own personality. While some like to hang out in a group, there are usually one or two that will venture off on their own. They all enjoy spending time with dad and returning to mom to nurse. They are already eating some solid food, which they began doing at just two days old.
Capybaras are the world's largest rodents. They are highly social and live together in groups in the forests and savannas of South America, typically near water. They are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a species of Least Concern because of their fairly stable, widespread population. However, some local populations have been drastically reduced or wiped out by hunting for skins.