Jersey Zoo welcomes two Capybara ‘Babybaras’, expands rodent family

Jersey, Channel Islands: Jersey Zoo is celebrating the arrival of two new capybara babies. The zoo posted that its capybara family “has just gotten bigger with not one, but two babybaras”.

Tayto and Tango are now “proud parents”. The latest arrival was born on Wednesday, June 10, when Tayto gave birth.

Capybaras are semi-aquatic rodents native to South America and are often likened to large guinea pigs. They are known for their social behavior and love of water.

The new babies’ father, Tango, is no stranger to attention. Last year he forced a temporary zoo closure after escaping from his enclosure, only to be spotted later in woods on the zoo grounds. Tango is one of triplets that moved to Jersey Zoo from Drusillas Park in East Sussex. There, he famously demanded cuddles from author Dame Jacqueline Wilson during a World Book Day event where she read stories to the animals.