CLEVELAND — The world's largest living rodents will soon be available for viewing at African Safari Wildlife Park.
The Port Clinton wildlife habitat announced on Friday that capybaras will be arriving at the end of the month and a part of the park's Walk-Thru Safari this summer.
“Capybaras have become very popular over the past few years, and our guests have told us over and over that they want to see Capybaras at the Park,” said Kelsey Keller, the park's director. “It wasn’t something we wanted to rush into. We put a lot of time, energy and research into designing and building the perfect home for these animals and making sure this habitat functions as a learning opportunity for our guests.”
Capybaras are native to the wetlands of South America and are closely related to guinea pigs. African Safari says they are known for their "chill" personalities.
"While Capybaras are not threatened with extinction, they serve as ambassadors for vulnerable freshwater ecosystems around the world," the park said.
The capybara habitat at the park is about 1,500 square feet with a large pool, waterfall and other "naturalistic features" with plenty of shade for the animals.
African Safari is also getting ready to open a capybara encounter, where guests will get the chance to feed and touch the animals and learn more about the species. That exhibit, which is contingent on weather and the capybaras' voluntary participation, is set to be ready by mid-June.
“There’s definitely a ‘cool factor’ to getting up close and personal with a Capybara, but this is first and foremost an educational opportunity for our guests,” Keller said. “We want to make sure they walk away with an appreciation for Capybaras and other animals that depend on lakes and rivers to survive.”
