You can now get up close and personal with capybaras at Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
If you’re somehow unfamiliar with capybaras, picture a giant guinea pig with longer legs and a nose you just want to *boop*.
Or you can discover them for yourself, with three capybara brothers, Tejo, Javi and Javiero now calling Canberra home at the National Zoo and Aquarium.
The semi-aquatic species is the largest rodent on earth and a viral hit known for its calm, laid-back demeanour.
Zoo director Renee Nasserpour said people were already falling in love with Canberra’s newest residents.
“[Recently] I received a beautiful artwork from one of our young members for the capybaras – it’s a love heart,” she said.
“So already we know that these capybaras have stolen the heart of our zoo community.”
Their habitat was specially built near the llamas enclosure, close to the zoo’s Adventure Playground, and some South American primates (including some new pygmy marmosets) have also been moved next door to make the capybaras feel at home.
The boys were born at Sydney Zoo and will shortly be ready to join the zoo’s close encounters program.
Mrs Nasserpour said they’d especially be a hit with kids.
“We see children loving their guinea pigs at home and who doesn’t want a bigger version of a guinea pig?” she said.
“A capybara, obviously, is exactly that.”
The three one-year-old boys have settled into their new home, swimming and playing in their pools and stretching out on the grass.
Mrs Nasserpour said each had its own personality.
“We do have one that’s a little bit more feistier than the others, and one who’s very much chilled and relaxed and wants to hang out with the keepers,” she said.
“So we are seeing their different personality and traits coming through, which is a lovely thing to see with our animals.”
Zoo founder and owner Richard Tindale is especially passionate about making sure children can interact with appropriate animals to help grow their love for wildlife conservation.
He admitted capybaras weren’t originally on his radar to add to the zoo’s family.
“I asked [why capybaras] and everyone said, are you nuts? Capybaras are probably the most popular animal at zoos now,” he said.
“I’ve learnt that very quickly from my grandkids and great-grandkids and everyone else … they have just become an icon around the world; everyone just loves being with them.
“And the fact that you can interact with them is really important … being up close and personal just adds this awareness to conservation of animals in our environment.”
It’s possible even more capybaras will come to the Canberra Zoo in the coming years, with the zoo considering joining a breeding program.
The animals already have an events centre named after them, where people can hold conferences or even weddings.
The zoo was successful in securing an ACT Government grant for tourism-related businesses to get the function centre (which has been about five years in the making) off the ground.
Mr Tindale hoped it would give people another option when seeking to host day or night events in the Territory.
“We like to evolve, we like to come up with new ideas, to attract people here,” he said.
Interactions with the capybaras can be booked online.
