Photo shot by Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Officials
Photo shot by Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment OfficialsPASO ROBLES - A Capybara has eluded capture on the Central Coast, after it was spotted and photographed at the Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant.
"I received a call from the city of Paso Robles sewer plant," Tom Tognazzini of the Department of Fish and Game told Your Central Coast News, "A capybara was consuming vegetation in the sewer ponds. It actually worked its was from south to north along each pond strip."
It's the third sighting in as many years of a capybara in the Paso Robles area. Officials believe it's the same rodent for all three sightings.
"About three years ago, we had a second hand report from Hunter Ranch Golf Course of a capybara in the lake system. That sighting was never verified," Tognazzini explained, "The second sighting was on a farm. The property owner called to report they had a capybara stealing alfalfa hay from their horses. The property owner came out, discharged a shotgun round at the capybara and didn't know whether or not they had hit it."
Tracks at the second sighting proved it was a capybara the property owner shot at. The Department of Fish and Game set up traps to catch it, but it wasn't seen again until a few weeks ago.
The species is native to South America. It's the largest rodent on earth. Experts aren't sure exactly how one ended up on the Central Coast, but they have a pretty good idea. As Tognazzini put it, "It's likely it was an illegal pet that somehow escaped or was released."
Due to the sporadic nature of the capybara sightings, the Department of Fish and game has not set up traps to catch the rodent. If they do catch it, a home for the capybara has already been found with Zoo To You.
If it's not caught soon, the capybara might not last much longer. The rodents in the wild usually only live about four years, while capybara in captivity live twice as long.
