An 8-year-old capybara named Poppy was euthanized at the Santa Barbara Zoo on Friday.
Veterinarians discovered an “inoperable mass” in Poppy’s throat that made it difficult to breathe.
The mass was discovered after multiple tests were conducted, including a CT scan, an endoscopic examination and multiple diagnostic tests.
“Sadly, the mass was extensive, severely obstructing her airway, and could not be surgically removed,” said Dr. Julie Barnes, Vice President of Animal Care and Health at the Santa Barbara Zoo, in an Instagram post from the Santa Barbara Zoo.
The death of the capybara is the latest tragedy at the Santa Barbara Zoo in recent weeks. Two panda cubs died, as did their mother, earlier this summer.
Poppy was considered geriatric for her age—roughly double the average lifespan for capybaras. She was born on Aug. 5 2018, at the Greater Vancouver Zoo and was raised by caretakers since she was a pup.
Antonio, a 4-year-old capybara in the care of the Santa Barbara Zoo, has been off-site receiving care for the last two months after he was observed with a bloody nose.
Following diagnostic testing as well as bone marrow biopsies, it was determined that Antionio has multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer that is found in plasma cells found in bone marrow.
Antonio is receiving “state of the art care in partnership with a veterinary oncology specialist” and is currently undergoing chemotherapy, according to the Santa Barbara Zoo. This is the first time multiple myeloma has been diagnosed in a capybara.
Antonio’s condition has already seen improvement since the beginning of his treatment.
Native to most countries in South America, capybaras are the largest animal in the rodent family and can weigh anywhere from 60 to 174lbs.
Wild capybara mortality rates are relatively low and are often attributed to predation and poaching.
While the International Union for Conservation of Nature doesn’t recognize the capybara as endangered, many specialists have agreed that wild capybara sightings have dwindled.
