Meet Chip and Dale, new capybara brothers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Named Chip and Dale, the large semiaquatic rodents travelled from the Gaia Zoo in the Netherlands and are now settling into their new home in the park’s Amazonas Reserve.

Born on the June 9 last year, the young capybaras have already made a positive impression on animal rangers with their “laid back attitude” and adjusted so well to their new environment that they were allowed outside just days after arriving.

Dr Charlotte MacDonald, Director of Animals, said: “We are delighted to welcome Chip and Dale to the park.

“They have settled in well after their long journey.

“We let them outside and they had a good look around before heading straight back into their house.

“Capybaras are very sociable animals, and we are sure that they will be very popular amongst visitors.

“The Amazonas reserve transports visitors to the Amazon rainforest and is home to some incredible South American species.

“The capybaras will live amongst our monkeys – golden lion tamarins, silvery marmosets, red titi monkeys and other South American rodents, the Mara and agouti.”

The reserve offers a walk-through experience, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the habitat and observe the animals up close as they move freely around the space.

Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents, closely related to guinea pigs, and are known for their highly social nature.

They spend much of their time in water, using their partially webbed feet to swim and submerging for up to five minutes at a time.

They often hide underwater to evade predators and can sleep while submerged, keeping only their nostrils above the surface to breathe.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, on the outskirts of Doncaster is home to a range of rare and endangered animals, including Amur tigers, giraffes, black rhinos, and polar bears.

The park’s broader resort includes the Hex Wildlife Hotel and the Yorkshire Hive, a nearby complex offering shopping, dining, and entertainment options for visitors.