5 Capybara Pups Born At Cape May County Zoo

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ — Sibling rivalry is apparent even in the animal world. Cape May County Zoo's capybara Marigold recently gave birth to a litter of five pups - less than a month after her sister, Buttercup, gave birth to two of her own.

"Buttercup may have been first to give birth to her two pups, but Marigold refused to let Buttercup be the only one in the spotlight!" the zoo shared on social media.

Marigold gave birth on Nov. 21; her sister gave birth on Oct. 26.

Visitors to the zoo may be able to see Marigold's pups in the capybara habitat, but they will spend a lot of time away for respite from crowds and the weather. Buttercup and her pups are more likely to be out, as the pups are a little bigger.

The best time to catch a glimpse of a capybara is before 2:30 p.m., as that's when zookeepers bring them into the building for the evening.

Capybaras are semi-aquatic rodents native to South America. The largest of the rodent family, they typically grow to 75 to 150 pounds, with females being larger than the males. Capybaras are found in forested areas near bodies of water, such as lakes, swamps or rivers.

Pups are up and walking within one hour of being born and start eating grass as early as one week. However, they continue to suckle from their mothers for about 16 weeks.

The Cape May County Parks and Zoo are open daily. The Parks are open from 7 a.m. to dusk, and the Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.