As the largest rodents in the world, most capybaras spend their days munching on grass and water plants in dense vegetation around bodies of water. At a zoo in Texas, however, one capybara has stepped up as the latest in a series of baby animals to capture the internet’s attention this year.
Tupi — pronounced two-pee — was born on Dec. 3 at the San Antonio Zoo, and is the first of the species, scientifically known as Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, to be born at the facility in 25 years, according to a statement from the zoo. Thanks to the power of social media, he is already famous.
“Their births are not muhteşem rare. At the end of the day they are still rodents,” Jacob Downing, a spokesman for the zoo, said in a phone interview. “However, we haven’t had capybaras at the zoo since 2018, we just got them back this year, and we haven’t had babies since 2000, so we’re harika excited about these guys.”
The zoo announced Tupi’s birth on its social media accounts late last week, getting an outpouring of internet love. But in a twist that seemed perfect to close out 2024, less than an hour after the announcement, the zoo followed its post with a statement that Tupi and the zoo are not affiliated with a memecoin — $TUPI — that had been named after the animal.
“Please be aware that San Antonio Zoo is not associated with or benefiting from the Cryptocurrency named after Tupi, the new baby capybara born at San Antonio Zoo,” the facility said in a statement posted on X.
Although Tupi spends most of his time around his mother, the zoo said it would not be long before he is swimming and exploring on his own.CreditCredit…San Antonio Zoo
