Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire is celebrating the arrival of two capybara pups, marking a significant expansion for the park's only pair of the large rodents. Mother Mildred, who arrived at the park in July 2025, and her two offspring are currently residing in a specially designed nursery area equipped with its own private pool, allowing them to settle in comfortably.
Capybaras are renowned as the world's largest rodent species and are distinctly semi-aquatic, thriving in environments that offer both land and water. The two new arrivals each weighed approximately 1kg at birth, a stark contrast to their potential adult weight, which can range between 35kg and 66kg. Park staff have noted that it is still too early to determine the sex of the pups, and names are yet to be chosen.
A unique characteristic of capybara pups is their precocial nature. This means they are born with fur, open eyes, and possess the remarkable ability to move and swim within just a few hours of birth. Alexa Maultby, a hoofstock keeper at Longleat, expressed delight at the successful birth, especially given Mildred's relatively recent arrival at the park. She confirmed that both the mother and pups are doing well.
The pups will continue to suckle from Mildred for around 16 weeks, though they are expected to begin grazing on grass from as early as one week old. Keepers anticipate the new family will spend a considerable amount of time in their private pool, with the young pups quickly developing their swimming skills. Initially, they may even be observed riding on their mother's back while in the water.
Mildred and the pups' father, Bart, typically share their habitat at Longleat with Brazilian tapirs and a recently introduced trio of maned wolves. This new addition not only enriches the park's animal collection but also offers visitors a unique opportunity to observe the early stages of life for these fascinating semi-aquatic creatures.