The Santa Barbara Zoo once again has capybaras. Four years after its previous specimens of the “world’s largest rodents” passed away, the zoo unveiled two young females on Friday in the same exhibit occupied by its female giant anteaters. The new capybaras are full sisters and were born at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Canada in August 2018, according to a press release.
The two do not yet have names, but zoo mammal keeper Melanie Storey can tell the two apart by their eyes and faces.
“One of them has wider eyes than the other. The other has much more slanted [eyes] and a longer snout,” she said.
Their current exhibit is divided into an inside and outside section, with the capybaras occupying the former because of its pool, as capybaras spend a lot of time around water. Outside the dividing fence, the zoo’s female giant anteater Anara lives with her twins Fancy Nancy Drew and Maria Luisa, who were born at the zoo in November 2017. Eventually, the goal is to have both species live in the same enclosure without boundaries, which Ms. Storey said is possible because the two live harmoniously in nature.
“In the wild these guys are not enemies. They have different food sources, they don’t compete for the same things, and they do live in coexisting habitats,” she said.
This is one of the zoo’s few mixed exhibits, which Ms. Storey said is a practice the Santa Barbara Zoo and many other zoos are seeking to increase. She explained that this method offers “diversity” to the animals’ enclosures.
“Mixed exhibits are a great way to give the guests a better understanding of the animals as well as give the animals different experiences,” she said.
However, thus far the capybaras have done their best to move away whenever they get near the anteaters. Ms. Storey said their fleeing caused the twin anteaters Nancy and Maria to chase after the rodents, mainly out of inquisitiveness and playfulness.
“They’re young, they want to play, this is something that’s bran new to them,” she said.
Anara on the other hand showed the most promise and “just acted like an anteater” when she was given access to the capybara space. When she got close enough to sniff the capybaras, she would try. When the capybaras responded by moving away, Anara didn’t pursue them. However, it will take more time for the two species to get acquainted before the divider gets lifted.
“What I would really like to see before I take down the barrier would be them getting very close to each other and no aggression, no chasing, no running. Just kind of walking away and doing their own thing, that’s what I’d like to see on both of their sides,” Ms. Storey said.
The capybaras will be named by donors, and those interested in sponsoring and naming them can do so by donating to the zoo’s Foster Feeder fund. To do this, contact the Zoo’s Institutional Advancement Department at (805) 962-5339 or visit www.sbzoo.org.