A NEW indoor viewing site will make Northumberland Zoo’s most popular animals more popular yet.

The zoo has applied for planning permission to extend the capybara area to include a large, more weatherproof shelter.

There will be an on-show viewing area for the public, which will enable visitors to see the animals regardless of the weather. 

Our group of capybara require a larger, more weather-proof indoor house for extreme weather conditions and colder times of the year.

There will also be an indoor pool and separate areas for segregating the animals if necessary.

Curator Maxine Bradley said Northumberland Zoo has one of the largest capybara families in the UK thanks to a successful breeding programme.

Originating in South America, the capybara is the world’s largest rodent and looks like a giant guinea pig.

Maxine said: “They really are one of the most popular species at the zoo and being able to give the public more access will be a positive experience.

“At the moment, as soon as it is cold or wet, they disappear into their shelter and cannot be seen.”

The planning application has been lodged with Northumberland District Council. 

Maxie said: “The council has been very supportive of us in the past. They recognise us as a visitor destination growing in popularity.

“As well as the council, however, we have to satisfy the species committees that we are doing everything correctly.

While there will be more of the capybara to see, there is another exciting development at the zoo – but one that is currently being kept under wraps. Maxine said there were plans in place to bring a new and vulnerable species to the zoo to share the capybara enclosure.

She said: “I can’t say too much about it and am not revealing what it is until we are certain they are coming.”

“The animals would be imported from Germany.

“With Brexit and the pandemic it is getting complicated, but I am still certain that it is going to happen and them we can talk about it.

“I am balancing a lot of balls in the air at the moment.

“The addition, this will also provide us with an opportunity to join the Lowland Tapir studbook as this house will allow us to add this other vulnerable’ species to our collection.”