Baby capybara draws big zoo crowd

A baby capybara is the newest attraction at the Emperor Valley Zoo. Capybaras are not known to be native to Trinidad but the local habitat is suitable to sustain them and there are now established populations in several parts of the country.

The Emperor Valley Zoo has always been a popular destination for families over the years and while this continues to be the case, the vacation camps are also including a visit to the zoo on their itineraries.

Children are finding the zoo experience very educational and a big draw continues to be the big cats, both the lions and the tigers with their majestic aura. Not to be outdone, is the opportunity to feed the giraffes and come close to an animal that many of them would not have seen if not on display at the zoo.

Zoo’s management said that based on expected trends several initiatives were put in place to enhance the experiences of the zoo’s guests.

The zoo’s education officers said that a recently acquired young capybara which was confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade is generating great interest from the zoo’s guests. Not only are they interested in the “back story” but also the natural history of this exotic species. Many of the guests have their own stories to add with some of them sharing useful information on the geographical distribution of the capybaras in Trinidad.