Giant rodents ready to meet Jersey Zoo visitors

Capybaras are the biggest rodent on Earth

Jersey Zoo has recently welcomed two new residents - female capybaras, Maple and Olive.

The pair arrived in July from ZooParc de Beauval in France and are said to be settling in to their new enclosure by the zoo's central lake.

As semi-aquatic animals, they will be free ranging in the lake and will share part of their home with Jersey Zoo's Chilean flamingos, say zoo staff.

Capybaras are native to South America and are the biggest rodent on Earth.

Georgia Gotts, team leader for mammals said she was excited about the zoo's latest arrivals.

"This introduction has been made even more special as we are returning a species originally brought to Jersey by [zoo founder] Gerald Durrell himself," she said.

"Maple and Olive have settled in really well and have definitely made themselves at home in their brand-new enclosure.

"They are a fascinating mammal species that split their time between water and land, so will definitely keep us on our toes."