Nick Kamp, who works at a water treatment plant in Paso Robles, Calif., was near a solid-waste pond when he spotted something emerging from the murky water. He quickly snapped a few photos of what turned out to be a capybara, the world's largest rodent, before it slipped back into the water and swam away.
Capybaras resemble huge guinea pigs and can grow to be as large as sheep, sometimes reaching more than 1.3 meters in length. They eat grass, freshwater plants and—to aide digestion—their own feces. The semiaquatic mammals are native to South American marshlands and swamps, but this sighting in central California was not the first.
Three years ago, a capybara sighting at a nearby golf course was dismissed as a probable beaver misidentification, but the hulking rodent later showed up chasing a farm dog, whose owner tried unsuccessfully to shoot the wild animal. California Department of Fish and Game official Todd Tognazzini told local TV news reporters that he suspects people are seeing the same capybara in each incident, and that it's most likely an escaped exotic pet.
This sighting was the first caught on film.
—Lauren F. Friedman
http://www.scientificamerican.com/gallery_directory.cfm?photo_id=D43E1901-9C0D-2E2B-5DF1EBCCCD4FAE14
Showing posts with label capybara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label capybara. Show all posts
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Giant Hamster: pictures of Caplin Rous the pet capybara at home in Texas
Is it a cat? Is it a dog? Is it a hamster? These are just some of the questions Melanie Typaldos and her daughter Coral have to answer when they are seen with their pet. In fact, Caplin Rous is a capybara, the largest species of rodent in the world and closely related to the guinea pig.Picture: Melanie Typaldos/Rex Features
See more photos at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/7213446/Giant-Hamster-pictures-of-Caplin-Rous-the-pet-capybara-at-home-in-Texas.html
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Animal's death puts Calgary zoo under microscope
Prominent biologist who helped turn things around at Washington's Smithsonian zoo earlier this decade sees parallels in Calgary
Dawn Walton
Calgary — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Patrons began noticing some of their favourite zoo animals were missing. Some critters died, others were malnourished or didn't receive proper veterinary care. Two red pandas died after being exposed to rodent killer. Mismanagement and miscommunication permeated from the top brass.
“Horrific” and a “travesty” is how prominent U.S. biologist Marc Bekoff described the state of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., in the early part of this decade.
“They just had to be reviewed. There were animals dying left and right,” said Mr. Bekoff, a professor at the University of Colorado, who reviewed operations at what should have been a federal crown jewel.
Now, he can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu over the odd animal deaths and mishaps at the Calgary Zoo, one of Canada's premier facilities, in recent years. The latest came on the weekend, a capybara, the world's largest rodent, that was pinned in a hydraulic door being operated by worker.
“There's something major going on there,” Mr. Bekoff said.
“I'm sorry, but if all those things happened in your home, people would begin to think something was wrong with your home. That's why these things really, really need to be investigated fast because … one of the things that happens at bad zoos is you get a string of these things constantly.”
The zoo has been putting on a brave face despite the public relations nightmare.
A knife was accidentally left in the western lowland gorilla enclosure. A type of goat known as a Turkmenian markhor hanged itself on a toy. “Human error” was blamed in the deaths of 41 cownose stingrays. Two baby elephants have died, as have several gorillas. A hippopotamus succumbed to circulatory complications after being shipped from the Denver Zoo.
On Saturday, Adali, an 18-month old female capybara that was the size of a large dog and had been in Calgary for five months died instantly after a worker didn't follow “proper protocols and procedures,” according to zoo officials.
The employee was suspended without pay for two days and no longer works with animals.
“The incidences are unrelated,” said Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, education and research.
The Calgary Zoo, which has capital assets of about $81-million and had a profit of almost $1.4-million and 1.2 million visitors last year, is accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the U.S.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which maintain standards and ethics for the industry.
Bill Peters, national director of CAZA, said a review of operations can be done before the five-year accreditation period expires, and credentials can be yanked. That happened once at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
But CAZA has no plans to review Calgary's operations.
“Yes, there has been a series of unfortunate incidents and they've been looked at and reports have been done in the various occurrences, but is there a pattern? No, I don't think there's a pattern there,” said Bill Peters, national director of CAZA.
Mr. Peters points out the facility's valuable work, including helping bring back endangered species such as the swift fox, whooping crane, black-footed ferret and Vancouver Island marmot.
“It's an outstanding facility. It's really, genuinely a very good operation.”
The zoo made the capybara's death public Thursday evening after CTV received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to be zoo employee. Zoocheck Canada received the same information.
Ms. Gaviller said the announcement was delayed in order to investigate and to protect the privacy of the worker.
Zoo curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said officials will look for a partner for the remaining male capybara.
“This is an unfortunate incident. Nobody could have foreseen that this was going to happen,” he said.
But Mr. Bekoff said the pattern at the Calgary Zoo demands a closer look.
“It's horrible,” he said, “I don't even know where to go with people who say we can explain them all and they're not related. Of course they're related. They're related to the fact that they're all at the same zoo.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/animals-death-puts-calgary-zoo-under-microscope/article1398165/
Dawn Walton
Calgary — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Patrons began noticing some of their favourite zoo animals were missing. Some critters died, others were malnourished or didn't receive proper veterinary care. Two red pandas died after being exposed to rodent killer. Mismanagement and miscommunication permeated from the top brass.
“Horrific” and a “travesty” is how prominent U.S. biologist Marc Bekoff described the state of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., in the early part of this decade.
“They just had to be reviewed. There were animals dying left and right,” said Mr. Bekoff, a professor at the University of Colorado, who reviewed operations at what should have been a federal crown jewel.
Now, he can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu over the odd animal deaths and mishaps at the Calgary Zoo, one of Canada's premier facilities, in recent years. The latest came on the weekend, a capybara, the world's largest rodent, that was pinned in a hydraulic door being operated by worker.
“There's something major going on there,” Mr. Bekoff said.
“I'm sorry, but if all those things happened in your home, people would begin to think something was wrong with your home. That's why these things really, really need to be investigated fast because … one of the things that happens at bad zoos is you get a string of these things constantly.”
The zoo has been putting on a brave face despite the public relations nightmare.
A knife was accidentally left in the western lowland gorilla enclosure. A type of goat known as a Turkmenian markhor hanged itself on a toy. “Human error” was blamed in the deaths of 41 cownose stingrays. Two baby elephants have died, as have several gorillas. A hippopotamus succumbed to circulatory complications after being shipped from the Denver Zoo.
On Saturday, Adali, an 18-month old female capybara that was the size of a large dog and had been in Calgary for five months died instantly after a worker didn't follow “proper protocols and procedures,” according to zoo officials.
The employee was suspended without pay for two days and no longer works with animals.
“The incidences are unrelated,” said Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, education and research.
The Calgary Zoo, which has capital assets of about $81-million and had a profit of almost $1.4-million and 1.2 million visitors last year, is accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the U.S.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which maintain standards and ethics for the industry.
Bill Peters, national director of CAZA, said a review of operations can be done before the five-year accreditation period expires, and credentials can be yanked. That happened once at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
But CAZA has no plans to review Calgary's operations.
“Yes, there has been a series of unfortunate incidents and they've been looked at and reports have been done in the various occurrences, but is there a pattern? No, I don't think there's a pattern there,” said Bill Peters, national director of CAZA.
Mr. Peters points out the facility's valuable work, including helping bring back endangered species such as the swift fox, whooping crane, black-footed ferret and Vancouver Island marmot.
“It's an outstanding facility. It's really, genuinely a very good operation.”
The zoo made the capybara's death public Thursday evening after CTV received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to be zoo employee. Zoocheck Canada received the same information.
Ms. Gaviller said the announcement was delayed in order to investigate and to protect the privacy of the worker.
Zoo curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said officials will look for a partner for the remaining male capybara.
“This is an unfortunate incident. Nobody could have foreseen that this was going to happen,” he said.
But Mr. Bekoff said the pattern at the Calgary Zoo demands a closer look.
“It's horrible,” he said, “I don't even know where to go with people who say we can explain them all and they're not related. Of course they're related. They're related to the fact that they're all at the same zoo.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/animals-death-puts-calgary-zoo-under-microscope/article1398165/
Animal's death puts Calgary zoo under microscope
Prominent biologist who helped turn things around at Washington's Smithsonian zoo earlier this decade sees parallels in Calgary
Dawn Walton
Calgary — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Patrons began noticing some of their favourite zoo animals were missing. Some critters died, others were malnourished or didn't receive proper veterinary care. Two red pandas died after being exposed to rodent killer. Mismanagement and miscommunication permeated from the top brass.
“Horrific” and a “travesty” is how prominent U.S. biologist Marc Bekoff described the state of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., in the early part of this decade.
“They just had to be reviewed. There were animals dying left and right,” said Mr. Bekoff, a professor at the University of Colorado, who reviewed operations at what should have been a federal crown jewel.
Now, he can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu over the odd animal deaths and mishaps at the Calgary Zoo, one of Canada's premier facilities, in recent years. The latest came on the weekend, a capybara, the world's largest rodent, that was pinned in a hydraulic door being operated by worker.
“There's something major going on there,” Mr. Bekoff said.
“I'm sorry, but if all those things happened in your home, people would begin to think something was wrong with your home. That's why these things really, really need to be investigated fast because … one of the things that happens at bad zoos is you get a string of these things constantly.”
The zoo has been putting on a brave face despite the public relations nightmare.
A knife was accidentally left in the western lowland gorilla enclosure. A type of goat known as a Turkmenian markhor hanged itself on a toy. “Human error” was blamed in the deaths of 41 cownose stingrays. Two baby elephants have died, as have several gorillas. A hippopotamus succumbed to circulatory complications after being shipped from the Denver Zoo.
On Saturday, Adali, an 18-month old female capybara that was the size of a large dog and had been in Calgary for five months died instantly after a worker didn't follow “proper protocols and procedures,” according to zoo officials.
The employee was suspended without pay for two days and no longer works with animals.
“The incidences are unrelated,” said Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, education and research.
The Calgary Zoo, which has capital assets of about $81-million and had a profit of almost $1.4-million and 1.2 million visitors last year, is accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the U.S.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which maintain standards and ethics for the industry.
Bill Peters, national director of CAZA, said a review of operations can be done before the five-year accreditation period expires, and credentials can be yanked. That happened once at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
But CAZA has no plans to review Calgary's operations.
“Yes, there has been a series of unfortunate incidents and they've been looked at and reports have been done in the various occurrences, but is there a pattern? No, I don't think there's a pattern there,” said Bill Peters, national director of CAZA.
Mr. Peters points out the facility's valuable work, including helping bring back endangered species such as the swift fox, whooping crane, black-footed ferret and Vancouver Island marmot.
“It's an outstanding facility. It's really, genuinely a very good operation.”
The zoo made the capybara's death public Thursday evening after CTV received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to be zoo employee. Zoocheck Canada received the same information.
Ms. Gaviller said the announcement was delayed in order to investigate and to protect the privacy of the worker.
Zoo curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said officials will look for a partner for the remaining male capybara.
“This is an unfortunate incident. Nobody could have foreseen that this was going to happen,” he said.
But Mr. Bekoff said the pattern at the Calgary Zoo demands a closer look.
“It's horrible,” he said, “I don't even know where to go with people who say we can explain them all and they're not related. Of course they're related. They're related to the fact that they're all at the same zoo.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/animals-death-puts-calgary-zoo-under-microscope/article1398165/
Dawn Walton
Calgary — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Patrons began noticing some of their favourite zoo animals were missing. Some critters died, others were malnourished or didn't receive proper veterinary care. Two red pandas died after being exposed to rodent killer. Mismanagement and miscommunication permeated from the top brass.
“Horrific” and a “travesty” is how prominent U.S. biologist Marc Bekoff described the state of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., in the early part of this decade.
“They just had to be reviewed. There were animals dying left and right,” said Mr. Bekoff, a professor at the University of Colorado, who reviewed operations at what should have been a federal crown jewel.
Now, he can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu over the odd animal deaths and mishaps at the Calgary Zoo, one of Canada's premier facilities, in recent years. The latest came on the weekend, a capybara, the world's largest rodent, that was pinned in a hydraulic door being operated by worker.
“There's something major going on there,” Mr. Bekoff said.
“I'm sorry, but if all those things happened in your home, people would begin to think something was wrong with your home. That's why these things really, really need to be investigated fast because … one of the things that happens at bad zoos is you get a string of these things constantly.”
The zoo has been putting on a brave face despite the public relations nightmare.
A knife was accidentally left in the western lowland gorilla enclosure. A type of goat known as a Turkmenian markhor hanged itself on a toy. “Human error” was blamed in the deaths of 41 cownose stingrays. Two baby elephants have died, as have several gorillas. A hippopotamus succumbed to circulatory complications after being shipped from the Denver Zoo.
On Saturday, Adali, an 18-month old female capybara that was the size of a large dog and had been in Calgary for five months died instantly after a worker didn't follow “proper protocols and procedures,” according to zoo officials.
The employee was suspended without pay for two days and no longer works with animals.
“The incidences are unrelated,” said Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, education and research.
The Calgary Zoo, which has capital assets of about $81-million and had a profit of almost $1.4-million and 1.2 million visitors last year, is accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the U.S.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which maintain standards and ethics for the industry.
Bill Peters, national director of CAZA, said a review of operations can be done before the five-year accreditation period expires, and credentials can be yanked. That happened once at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
But CAZA has no plans to review Calgary's operations.
“Yes, there has been a series of unfortunate incidents and they've been looked at and reports have been done in the various occurrences, but is there a pattern? No, I don't think there's a pattern there,” said Bill Peters, national director of CAZA.
Mr. Peters points out the facility's valuable work, including helping bring back endangered species such as the swift fox, whooping crane, black-footed ferret and Vancouver Island marmot.
“It's an outstanding facility. It's really, genuinely a very good operation.”
The zoo made the capybara's death public Thursday evening after CTV received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to be zoo employee. Zoocheck Canada received the same information.
Ms. Gaviller said the announcement was delayed in order to investigate and to protect the privacy of the worker.
Zoo curator Tim Sinclair-Smith said officials will look for a partner for the remaining male capybara.
“This is an unfortunate incident. Nobody could have foreseen that this was going to happen,” he said.
But Mr. Bekoff said the pattern at the Calgary Zoo demands a closer look.
“It's horrible,” he said, “I don't even know where to go with people who say we can explain them all and they're not related. Of course they're related. They're related to the fact that they're all at the same zoo.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/animals-death-puts-calgary-zoo-under-microscope/article1398165/
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Best wildlife videos: animals attack
Photos of a crocodile attacked by hippos have amazed wildlife enthusiasts and thrilled lovers of the natural world. Here we showcase the best online videos of animals attacking other animals.
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
Best wildlife videos: animals attack
Photos of a crocodile attacked by hippos have amazed wildlife enthusiasts and thrilled lovers of the natural world. Here we showcase the best online videos of animals attacking other animals.
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Capybara sightings continue in Barnet
3:54pm Monday 12th October 2009By Rebecca Lowe
THE mystery surrounding the identity of a large rodent-like creature seen tottering through Totteridge continues as further sightings are reported.
According to around ten separate witnesses, one or more capybaras are on the loose in the area and hiding in woodland and farmland around the borough.
The 140lb creature, known to be the largest living rodent in the world, is native to South America and very rarely seen in English countryside.
The most recent sighting was made by Dan Mackessy, 43, of Friern Park, North Finchley, who believes he heard two of the creatures beneath his bedroom window a fortnight ago.
He said: "I heard squealing outside, which sounded like a rat or a fox, and when I looked I saw two little brown animals.
"They were definitely not rats or foxes, but as soon as I put my head out, they scampered off behind the flat.
"I think it might have been a couple of capybaras."
Steve Wells, of Galley Lane, Barnet, believes he and his wife saw a capybara around a month ago.
He said: "I saw what I thought to be a deer about a month ago while driving through Trotters Bottom to Galley Lane.
"It came from the golf course before the A1 junction and disappeared very quickly.
"Then, on Friday, October 2, at around 8.30pm I was returning from St Albans with my wife Mariella when it ran out into the same piece of road, but then quickly ran off.
"After reading about other sightings in the Times Series, we both realised it was in fact a capybara."
However, naturalist John Colman, 61, of Grange Avenue, North Finchley, believes the alleged capybara is in fact a deer after all.
He said: "The muntjac deer is a very small deer and, incidentally, almost exactly the same size as a capybara.
"They are generally very shy so, although now quite widespread, they are not encountered that often.
"All naturalists know from experience not to dismiss reports of unusual animals or birds out of hand, but I would be very surprised indeed if the majority of these sightings were not attributable to muntjacs."
Capybaras can grow to 4.5ft long and 1.5ft tall, and weigh from 59lb to 174lb pounds. They have long, coarse, reddish-brown hair, no tail, short limbs, a barrel-shaped body and webbed feet with strong claws.
They are most active at dusk and dawn, and communicate using whistles, whimpers, clicking noises and barks.
What do you think? Have you spotted a capybara scampering across fields near you - or was it merely an overweight deer?
Please send all comments to Rebecca Lowe at rlowe@london.newsquest.co.uk or 07795 305271.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/4677553.Capybara_sightings_continue_in_Barnet/
Capybara sightings continue in Barnet
3:54pm Monday 12th October 2009By Rebecca Lowe
THE mystery surrounding the identity of a large rodent-like creature seen tottering through Totteridge continues as further sightings are reported.
According to around ten separate witnesses, one or more capybaras are on the loose in the area and hiding in woodland and farmland around the borough.
The 140lb creature, known to be the largest living rodent in the world, is native to South America and very rarely seen in English countryside.
The most recent sighting was made by Dan Mackessy, 43, of Friern Park, North Finchley, who believes he heard two of the creatures beneath his bedroom window a fortnight ago.
He said: "I heard squealing outside, which sounded like a rat or a fox, and when I looked I saw two little brown animals.
"They were definitely not rats or foxes, but as soon as I put my head out, they scampered off behind the flat.
"I think it might have been a couple of capybaras."
Steve Wells, of Galley Lane, Barnet, believes he and his wife saw a capybara around a month ago.
He said: "I saw what I thought to be a deer about a month ago while driving through Trotters Bottom to Galley Lane.
"It came from the golf course before the A1 junction and disappeared very quickly.
"Then, on Friday, October 2, at around 8.30pm I was returning from St Albans with my wife Mariella when it ran out into the same piece of road, but then quickly ran off.
"After reading about other sightings in the Times Series, we both realised it was in fact a capybara."
However, naturalist John Colman, 61, of Grange Avenue, North Finchley, believes the alleged capybara is in fact a deer after all.
He said: "The muntjac deer is a very small deer and, incidentally, almost exactly the same size as a capybara.
"They are generally very shy so, although now quite widespread, they are not encountered that often.
"All naturalists know from experience not to dismiss reports of unusual animals or birds out of hand, but I would be very surprised indeed if the majority of these sightings were not attributable to muntjacs."
Capybaras can grow to 4.5ft long and 1.5ft tall, and weigh from 59lb to 174lb pounds. They have long, coarse, reddish-brown hair, no tail, short limbs, a barrel-shaped body and webbed feet with strong claws.
They are most active at dusk and dawn, and communicate using whistles, whimpers, clicking noises and barks.
What do you think? Have you spotted a capybara scampering across fields near you - or was it merely an overweight deer?
Please send all comments to Rebecca Lowe at rlowe@london.newsquest.co.uk or 07795 305271.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/4677553.Capybara_sightings_continue_in_Barnet/
Thursday, October 1, 2009
World's biggest rodent spotted in Totteridge
1:02pm Tuesday 29th September 2009By Rebecca Lowe
THE largest living rodent in the world was spotted scampering across farmland in Totteridge last week.
Hollywood actor David Dayan Fisher, 42, saw the 140-pound, 3ft-long capybara while walking in fields near Darlands Lake on September 20.
The barrel-shaped rodent is not native to English countryside, but is normally found in densely forested areas of South America.
It looks similar to a giant guinea pig, with slightly webbed feet, no tail and a blunt muzzle.
Mr Fisher sighted the creature while walking with his seven-year-old nephew and nine-year-old niece, Louie and Pebbles Fisher.
He said: "We were out walking the dogs and were going through a wooded area very close to the lake, when suddenly Pebbles saw what she thought was a baby cow.
"I looked over and thought it was a deer, but then my nephew suddenly shouted: 'That's what crocodiles eat!'
"I realised he was right, though I had no idea what it was called until we Googled it later.
"It was very distinctive, with a squat body and flat head and a very unusual hop. It seemed to be worried as it was running to the cover of the corn fields as quickly as possible."
Mr Fisher, who has appeared in Charmed, 24 and Stargate Atlantis, and starred in National Treasure with Nicholas Cage, said he was "blown away" by the discovery.
"I've seen quite a lot in my life, but to see this in the Totteridge area was something else.
"I couldn't believe my eyes. It wasn't meant to be here. It was something foreign. I felt like an intrepid explorer discovering something really special."
Have you spotted the Barnet beast scampering across fields near you? If so, please contact Rebecca Lowe at rlowe@london.newsquest.co.uk or 07795 305271.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/4654563.World_s_biggest_rodent_spotted_in_Totteridge/
World's biggest rodent spotted in Totteridge
1:02pm Tuesday 29th September 2009By Rebecca Lowe
THE largest living rodent in the world was spotted scampering across farmland in Totteridge last week.
Hollywood actor David Dayan Fisher, 42, saw the 140-pound, 3ft-long capybara while walking in fields near Darlands Lake on September 20.
The barrel-shaped rodent is not native to English countryside, but is normally found in densely forested areas of South America.
It looks similar to a giant guinea pig, with slightly webbed feet, no tail and a blunt muzzle.
Mr Fisher sighted the creature while walking with his seven-year-old nephew and nine-year-old niece, Louie and Pebbles Fisher.
He said: "We were out walking the dogs and were going through a wooded area very close to the lake, when suddenly Pebbles saw what she thought was a baby cow.
"I looked over and thought it was a deer, but then my nephew suddenly shouted: 'That's what crocodiles eat!'
"I realised he was right, though I had no idea what it was called until we Googled it later.
"It was very distinctive, with a squat body and flat head and a very unusual hop. It seemed to be worried as it was running to the cover of the corn fields as quickly as possible."
Mr Fisher, who has appeared in Charmed, 24 and Stargate Atlantis, and starred in National Treasure with Nicholas Cage, said he was "blown away" by the discovery.
"I've seen quite a lot in my life, but to see this in the Totteridge area was something else.
"I couldn't believe my eyes. It wasn't meant to be here. It was something foreign. I felt like an intrepid explorer discovering something really special."
Have you spotted the Barnet beast scampering across fields near you? If so, please contact Rebecca Lowe at rlowe@london.newsquest.co.uk or 07795 305271.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/4654563.World_s_biggest_rodent_spotted_in_Totteridge/
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