The world’s largest rodents have welcomed some tiny new family members in eastern Hungary. Debrecen Zoo has announced the birth of several capybara pups, and the energetic youngsters are already delighting visitors as they explore their enclosure and follow their mother into the water.
New arrivals at Debrecen Zoo
The zoo shared the news on social media, revealing that the newborn capybaras have wasted no time settling into their surroundings.
According to the zoo, the pups are already full of energy, alternating between exploring the dry resting areas of the South America enclosure and jumping into the pool behind their mother. A short video released by the zoo shows the curious newcomers scampering around and investigating their habitat.
The footage quickly attracted attention online, with animal lovers celebrating the latest addition to the zoo’s growing animal family.
Meet the capybara: the world’s largest rodent
Native to South America, capybaras are the largest rodents on Earth. Despite their impressive size, they are widely known for their calm and friendly temperament.
Adult capybaras typically measure between 106 and 134 centimetres in length, stand around 50 to 62 centimetres tall at the shoulder, and usually weigh between 35 and 66 kilograms, according to 444.hu. Some exceptional individuals have grown even larger, with recorded weights exceeding 70 kilograms for males and 90 kilograms for females.
Their appearance is often compared to that of a giant guinea pig, although they are highly adapted to life around water and are also known as water pigs in some languages (including Hungarian: vízidisznó).
Gentle giants with a social nature
Capybaras have become internet favourites in recent years thanks to their remarkably peaceful behaviour. They are often seen sharing space comfortably with a variety of other animals, both in the wild and in zoological parks.
Zoo experts note that their calm presence can even have a reassuring effect on other species. In the wild, capybaras live in social groups and communicate through a surprisingly wide range of sounds, including barks, whistles, grunts and clicking noises.
While the newborns in Debrecen are still a long way from reaching their full size, they are already proving to be one of the zoo’s most popular attractions this summer.
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