The San Diego Zoo just got a lot fuzzier, with several new additions from the world’s largest rodent: the capybara.
The zoo welcomed the birth of not one but four capybara pups on Sunday. They were born to second-time mother Rosalina and first-time father Bowie the San Diego Zoo announced Tuesday.
“Capybaras are incredibly vocal animals and communicate using barks, chirps, whistles, huffs and purrs,” according to the zoo's website.
Although referred to in their scientific name as Hydrochoerus, which translates as “water hog,” capybaras — which are herbivores — are not related to pigs. Instead, they are closer relations to guinea pigs, hamsters and mice.
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Capybaras’ native habitats can be found in Central and South America. Favored environments include grassy regions, bordering rivers and ponds.
Although facing habitat destruction and illegal poaching, capybaras are not classified as an endangered species, according to the San Diego Zoo.
Despite being recently born, the capybara pups at the San Diego Zoo are precocial, which means they’re more mature and mobile soon after birth, so the rodents are already nursing and following their mom.
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The capybara pups can be found at the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey, where they share a habitat with Baird’s tapir.
