Resident capybara reporter Emily Writes checks in on Wellington Zoo’s beautiful new addition.

As exclusively reported right here back in April, the capybaras at Wellington Zoo have been going at it like Carmen and Jimmy on Married at First Sight. And now, as can happen following all-day orgies, a baby has arrived. Oh joy of joys, a new capybara floof is here. I spoke to Wellington Zoo’s Zel Lazarevich about the happy news.

What a BLESSED DAY – a new capybara baby has joined us. How is mama Vara doing?

Vara is doing great. With only one baby to feed, she’s doing really well. She doesn’t seem too tired and is being really attentive to the little one. Her appetite has picked right up.

Is Pepe the father?!

Yes, Pepe is the father of this baby.

For the benefit of those who don’t follow the lives of Wellington Zoo’s capybara with the same obsessive voyeurism that I do, Pepe is the Casanova capybara from Auckland Zoo. Here’s what they said about our chonky boi Pepe in April: “Pepe is a sweet and gentle-natured animal and we’re hoping the females will like him just as much as we do. Capybaras are pretty easygoing, so they will generally get on well with each other and other animals. It shouldn’t be too difficult matching them up, they’ll ‘swipe right’ to most, so to speak.”

He is so BUSY! How many babies has he had now?

Capybaras breed very frequently in the wild, so this is very natural behaviour for him. He’s been the father of 10 babies here so far, a number of which have recently moved to Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

Isn’t he Vara’s dad? I’m so confused. WHO IS THE FATHER?

Pepe and Vara are not related. Pepe is the father of this little capybara baby that Vara has just given birth to.

Is Vara stoked she only had one instead of seven like Iapa? 

The normal range is somewhere between one and eight. With only one baby, her recovery will probably be a bit quicker and she does appear to have an easier time having just one baby to keep track of.

Is it so cute?

We’ve shared a photo on the Wellington Zoo Facebook page, so have a look for yourself. We hope to share more photos in the future, too. We all think the baby is very cute!

Is it so floofy?

Yes, the baby is a typical floofy capybara baby. Capybaras get especially floofy when they’re happy, for instance when they’re scratched in just the right spot.  They get the Capybara equivalent of goose bumps, which means that their hairs all stick up and they turn into a big ball of floof.

What will you name it? I saw a photo of it and I think you should call it Circle Round Boi. 

We will check what its gender is first and then come up with a name that is in line with its South American heritage.

Why are capybaras so perfect?

Capybaras are great. They are generally calm and peaceful, social, and loyal to each other. They are excellent swimmers and all have their own individual and often quirky personalities. (“The best animals are social herbivores,” I’m told by the totally not biased Wellington Zoo herbivore team.)

How are the twins going that were born in July?

Luna and Dia are doing really well, growing fast and they have become an important part of the herd. They particularly love to swim and are very talented swimmers.

How many are there now?

We currently have eight capybara in total.

Can we see it?

Yes, the baby is out in the new capybara habitat with its mum now, so do come and visit us and meet the little baby. For an ever closer look, the Capybara Close Encounter lets you get right inside the Capybara’s habitat.

Can we hold it and sing little songs to it and tell it it’s wonderful?

Some studies suggest that some animals can respond favourably to certain types of music. You won’t be allowed to hold the capybaras, but we think they won’t find a gentle song objectionable.

Previously:

Breaking news: Wellington mum gives birth to seven adorable rat pig babies

Too rude: the Wellington Zoo capybaras are going at it like rabbits