Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes young capybaras

Can the world's largest rodent be cute?

Two young capybaras who recently arrived at the Santa Barbara Zoo indicate the answer is yes.

The brother and sister were born at Alabama's Montgomery Zoo in late July. Antonio and Mirabel, as they've been named, are part of a conservation program for some wildlife species.

In Santa Barbara, the siblings have joined Poppy, a 4-year-old capybara. Zoo staffers are letting Poppy and the newcomers get acquainted slowly as capybaras can be protective of their home turf. Until the three are comfortable together, officials said, Poppy and the younger capybaras will take turns in the habitat. The hope is the three will form a "nice new herd," officials said.

Zoo manager Kristen Wieners said Antonio and Mirabel are curious about staff and exploring their new surroundings. "Both have big personalities and even bigger appetites," she said in a release.

The siblings have been through their quarantine period and are on exhibit, a zoo official said, but are still alternating exhibit time with Poppy.

Capybaras are native to Central and South America. They're strong swimmers with partially webbed feet who can stay underwater for up to five minutes, zoo officials said.

The species is classified as one of least concern on an international list of threatened animals, but deforestation, poaching and habitat destruction have meant wild capybaras have become harder to find in recent years, officials said.

More information about the zoo is available at sbzoo.org.