Capybara born in Scotland for first time in 18 years
SO cute!
- Published
This might be the cutest thing you see all week - a baby capybara has been born in Scotland for the first time in 18 years.
Keepers at Edinburgh Zoo welcomed the new pup (which is what capybara babies are called) in May, and are now keeping a close eye on it to make sure it can grow up safe and healthy.
The zoo have said the pup is "slowly starting to get braver and explore", and that its parents Luna and Rodney are doing a fabulous job of looking after their new arrival.
The happy family are getting on really well, keepers have said
Capybara pups weigh around 1.5 to 2.5kg when they're born, but grow very quickly.
As they develop, they'll learn lots of things from their herd, including how to bark and squeak in order to communicate.
And in the next couple of weeks, the zoo have said the baby will have its first health check up, where they'll find out the gender and give it a name.
What do you think it should be called? Let us know in the comments below...
Crazy capybara facts
Capybaras have spiny fur that dries quickly after they've been for a swim
Capybaras are the biggest rodents on Earth
Like other rodents, their teeth never stop growing, so they keep them short by grazing on plants
But their diet gets more gross from there - they eat their own poo in the morning, as it's full of protein from the meals they digest the day before
They're semi-aquatic mammals, which means they spend time both on land and in water
Their toes are partially webbed to help them swim
