SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury Zoo says it recently acquired a female capybara, named Pecan, from the Cape May Zoo.
Pecan was born on June 15, 2021. She will join Faith, a female capybara in the zoo’s South American yard. Zoo keepers are slowly introducing the two so they can get acquainted to each other. This process is called “Howdying” in the zoo world. During this method, the two capybaras will have a physical barrier between them so they will not be able to touch each other but can see and smell each other. Zoo visitors may see the two separated for a while until keepers are confident that they can be together safely.
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and are semiaquatic. Their feet are partially webbed and their eyes, ears and nostrils are located on the top of their heads to help them see and breathe while they swim. This makes them suited for the wetlands of South and Central America where they are found.