Sometimes, the animal kingdom has unexpected lessons to share.
This week, that lesson comes from an unlikely duo: a capybara and a howler monkey — two species you wouldn’t normally expect to interact closely in the wild.
Capybaras, the world’s largest rodents, typically inhabit marshy grasslands and swamps, while howler monkeys spend most of their lives high in the trees of Central and South American forests. Yet at the Denver Zoo, captivity has created an unusual opportunity for friendship.
Six-year-old capybara Rebecca recently bonded with 16-year-old howler monkey Baya. While the two do share overlapping ranges in the wild, it’s rare for them to interact so closely. At the zoo, the pair are the only females in an enclosure filled with male animals, which may have encouraged them to set aside differences and form a close companionship.
Since meeting, Rebecca and Baya have become inseparable, spending their days cuddling, grooming, and even riding piggyback across their habitat.
“I think Baya finds comfort in Rebecca,” said Jessica Newell, assistant curator of Tropical Discovery at the Denver Zoo. “Rebecca is calm and steady, and Baya seems to rely on her for reassurance. They clearly enjoy each other’s company.”
Their affectionate antics have captured the hearts of visitors and social media users alike. Photos of the two snuggling and playing together have gone viral, spreading smiles far beyond the zoo’s walls.
“Animals have so much to teach us,” wrote one Facebook user named Maureen. “Love one another. We’re all in this together.”