Huge, tailless rodents debut at Calgary Zoo

The largest rodent in the world has arrived at the Calgary Zoo as part of its newest exhibit.

Two capybaras are now on display in the facility's South American pavilion. Weighing up to 64 kilograms, or 140 pounds, the rodent has slightly webbed feet, a barrel-shaped body and no tail.

The rodents, which arrived on July 9 from the Buffalo Zoo in New York, have now finished the required 30-day quarantine, Calgary Zoo officials said on Monday.

The female capybara is named Adali — meaning "noble" — and the male is Pakhi, which means "bird." Both are about a year old.

The capybaras will share their new home with spider monkeys — and may eventually come to lie on, or ride on their roommates, as has been seen in other zoos.

Hunted by predators, humans

"Capybaras are very laid-back and friendly animals," curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said in a news release. "Once the capybaras and spider monkeys get used to each other, they will likely become very interesting to watch as their interaction grows."

Capybaras are herbivores that come from South America where they live in tropical grassland and freshwater environments.

They're not an endangered species but are often killed by predators including anacondas and jaguars. Humans also hunt the capybaras for meat and fur, or because they're seen as a threat to the grazing areas of livestock.

Meanwhile, the zoo announced that the eight-month visit by koalas Budaru and Mundooie will end on Sept. 7. The pair will return to the San Diego Zoo, which loaned the animals to the Calgary facility.