sbzoo
By the Santa Barbara Zoo
The Santa Barbara Zoo has welcomed two new capybaras, Antonio and Mirabel, who are brother and sister and have come to Santa Barbara from the Montgomery Zoo in Alabama, where they were born on July 26, 2022. They are currently getting acquainted with Poppy, the Zoo’s four-year-old capybara, and acclimating to their new habitat. Antonio and Mirabel are part of a Species Survival Plan (population management and conservation program for selected species of wildlife), so the Zoo is hoping that the three will form a nice new herd.
“Antonio and Mirabel both have big personalities and even bigger appetites!” shared Zoo Manager Kristen Wieners. “They are very curious about staff and exploring new things, and we are really enjoying getting to know them!”
Capybaras need careful introductions to new herd mates, as they can be protective of their homes. Until the group is comfortable together, Poppy will take turns in the habitat with Antonio and Mirabel.
Capybaras are the largest rodent in the world, and are native to Central and South America. Well adapted to life near the water, the semi-aquatic mammals have partially webbed feet, making capybaras very strong swimmers capable of staying underwater for up to five minutes, which helps when escaping predators such as jaguars, anacondas, and harpy eagles. Like other rodents, capybaras’ front teeth continuously grow to compensate for being worn down from their diet of grasses and water plants.
The capybara is listed as “least concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, however, in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to find this shy and sometimes nocturnal animal in the wild. Deforestation and habitat destruction are factors, and until recently hunting and poaching as a food source. New captive farming programs have helped relieve poaching.
About the Santa Barbara Zoo
The Santa Barbara Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m.; general admission is $25 for adults, $15 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Parking is $11. The Santa Barbara Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). AZA zoos are dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great visitor experience, and a better future for all living things. With more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and is the public’s link to helping animals in their native habitats. Visit www.sbzoo.org.
The young ones make cute little whistley noises. I was there this morning, and spent a while looking at the trees with my binoculars trying to locate what sounded like strange birds, until I realized where the sounds were coming from.
I can’t tell if this is a memory or a dream I had as a kid, but does anyone remember hearing about one of the capybaras escaping from the zoo in the 80s and then swimming out to and living on the island in the bird refuge? I always thought about what an adventure that must of been for the critter.
Not a dream: It took days and days (possibly weeks, I don’t recall just how long) for the escapee Capybara at the Bird Refuge to be captured. People kept spotting him/her. It was such a shame its happy freedom had to end.
YES SACJON your true memory was an escapee dream for that capybara. I worked at the zoo while at UCSB in the ’80’s and the bird refuge was always there tempting the animals with a glimmering mirage vision of a wilder life.
I LOVE capybarras!