(FOX40.COM) — The Sacramento Zoo announced on Monday that its female capybara, named Peppermint Patty, gave birth to a litter of five pups.
“It’s an exciting time at the zoo,” Anela Medeiros, lead keeper overseeing the capybaras, said. “All of the pups are bright and alert and Peppermint Patty is doing great as a first-time mom.”
Zoo officials stated that over the past five months, keepers have been keeping a close eye on Patty through her pregnancy.
The zoo said the pups have shown normal behaviors and are doing well.
“The little ones are doing well, and guests can already catch a glimpse of them in their habitat as they explore their surroundings with mom,” Medeiros said.
According to the Sacramento Zoo, a litter includes around five and eight pups. Capybaras are born precocial, which means that they can fend for themselves.
The pups are already walking and will be able to eat solid food alongside their mother’s milk around a week after birth.
Officials said that the pups will not be weaned until three or four months of age.
Fun Facts
- Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world.
- They’re in high demand around South and Central America.
- Capybaras are semi-aquatic, meaning they are adapted to life both on land and in the water.
- Capybaras are typically three to four feet long and between 60 to 170 pounds.
- Their diet consists of grasses, aquatic plants, squashes, and melons, with variation in diet depending on the dry or wet season.
The zoo said that while capybara populations face deforestation, habitat destruction and illegal poaching, they are considered “Not Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Community members can go to the Zoo and see the new family anytime.
Adoreil Ayoubgoulan
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