Capybara sighting: Officials may set traps for giant rodents
Officials in the Paso Robles area say they may set traps after workers at a wastewater plant spotted a capybara three weeks ago.
Wardens are prepared to set live traps for the animal, said Lt. Todd Tognazzini of the Department of Fish and Game., and relocate it to a local nonprofit animal group. Before traps can be set, however, there must be more confirmed sightings of the animal so officials can narrow down the area where it lives.
In the meantime, Tognazzini said, anyone who spots the animal should contact authorities –- and keep their distance. Though capybaras (an example of the rodent is pictured above) aren’t considered predatory toward humans, any wild animal should be treated with extra caution, he said.
“Like any wild animal, they’re going to defend themselves, so we wouldn’t want anybody to get close to it,” Tognazzini said.
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents -– they can reach the size of a small dog -– and are often described as a mix between a rat and a guinea pig. They’re nocturnal and semi-aquatic, and prefer habits with dense vegetation and access to water. They are illegal to own as a pet in California.
