Everland welcomes capybara triplets
Newly born baby capybaras in Everland / Courtesy of Samsung C&T
Everland, Korea’s largest theme park, said Wednesday that three baby capybaras were born at its zoo last month, and they will meet visitors starting Thursday.
The triplets were born Sept. 28 to Dotom, a male, and Dutum, a female. Both parents were born in 2024. Everland is run by the resort division of Samsung C&T and is located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
Each baby weighed about 1 kilogram at birth. Two weeks later, all three are healthy and nursing under the care of the park’s veterinarians and zookeepers.
Native to rivers and wetlands in South America, capybaras are the world’s largest living rodents and live about 10 years on average. After a pregnancy of about four to five months, females give birth to several young at a time. Newborns are well developed. They are born with fur and open eyes, and they can walk right away.
Known for their round ears, blunt noses and relaxed manner, capybaras are among the most popular animals at Korean zoos. Photos and videos of them calmly sitting alongside ducks, turtles and monkeys have spread widely online. At Everland’s zoo, capybaras soaking in warm water as if at a hot spring have also drawn attention.
The triplets and their parents will be on display at Ppuppa Town, an animal area at the park, from Thursday. Everland said it will adjust viewing times and locations based on the babies’ health and how well they adapt.
The park also plans to hold a contest to name the triplets, along with other online and offline programs for visitors.
“We are taking great care of the mother and babies so the triplets can grow up strong,” an Everland official said. “We hope the warm and peaceful look of the capybara family brings a small smile to many people’s daily lives.”
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.