PORT CLINTON, Ohio — A popular Port Clinton wildlife park has added a big new addition in the form of the world's largest rodent.
African Safari Wildlife Park formally debuted the critters Thursday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibit and upcoming "Capybara Encounter" experience.
The stars of the show are two-month-old Arepa and Torta, siblings from the same litter that arrived in Ohio just over a week ago from another wildlife park in central Florida.
The animals were added by popular request from park visitors and employees alike, according to Kelsey Keller, the director at African Safari Wildlife Park.
"One keeper said to me, 'I'll never leave if you get me capybaras,'" Keller said.
The capybara craze is due in part to social media and the animal's popularity played a role in their addition to the wildlife park.
"A lot of phone calls asking, 'Do you have capybara?'" Keller said.
Keeper staff voted for Arepa and Torta's names and chose the two Spanish foods in homage to their South American heritage.
The capybara is native to South America and closely related to the common guinea pig. However, while Arepa and Torta may look small now, they will eventually weigh up to 150 pounds.
The capybara habitat at African Safari Wildlife Park is about 1,500 square feet with a pool and waterfall, as the animal is a semi-aquatic species with webbed feet and skilled at swimming.
The project was self-funded by the wildlife park and a labor of love, with the only outside help coming in the form of an excavator for the over-6-foot-deep pool.
"It was us giving back to our park and to our guests," Keller said.
Arepa and Torta are currently on exhibit daily for guests to enjoy and will only be off-exhibit during the winter months. The full Capybara Encounter experience is coming soon.
"They did encounters with their mom and dad before they left their previous facility, but it’s a lot of change coming to a whole new place, whole new environment and whole new keepers," Keller said. "So we’re trying to let them get their feet wet — literally and figuratively — and enjoy the transition and the beautiful Ohio summer weather."
Once the African Safari Wildlife Park's Capybara Encounter opens to the public, guests will be able to spend 10 minutes with Arepa and Torta during the experience. Tickets will be an add-on to regular park admission at $15 per person and open to guests 3 years of age and older.
Keller expects it to be two to three weeks before the encounters are up and fully running with the animals participating completely. Updates will be posted on African Safari Wildlife Park's website and social media.
She described the experience as a fun, interactive exhibit that brings something new to the community.
"Very few zoos in our region, the Toledo-Cleveland area, have 'capy' encounters," Keller said. "So it’s a really exciting thing for our lakeshore region."
