Meet a Capybara and Pet a Sloth!
Have you heard of capybaras? Have you ever wondered what a sloths ears look like (I was so surprised!)? I’m taking you on a tour of an incredible animal sanctuary in Florida that is home to over 100 exotic animals. Here, you will meet a capybara and pet a sloth! I took my family for a private tour of Amazing Animals Wildlife Preserve and it was such a fabulous experience where we got up close and personal to some truly amazing creatures.
Watch this short video I created so you can see some of my favorite animals in action!
Founded in 2009, Amazing Animals Wildlife Preserve is a non-profit that “started by educating the community about the importance of conservation, taking our reptiles to schools, nursing homes, daycares, and birthday parties. As we grew, so did our animal family. In 2014, we moved to a 2.5-acre facility in Saint Cloud, Florida, to create a preserve for exotic animals in need.”
Meet a Capybara
The people at Amazing Animals say, “Today, we are proud to provide a loving home for over 100 animals, including mammals like foxes, monkeys, kinkajous, bobcats, and more.
We not only provide a safe haven for these incredible creatures, but we also share their stories and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and their natural habitats.”
My daughter is obsessed with capybaras (or capys as they are affectionally called) so when I discovered that we could pet and feed these adorable, friendly little rodents, I was thrilled!
Penelope is two months pregnant and will give birth in three months. She loved getting lots of belly rubs which made her drift off to sleep!
Surprisingly, capybaras are not soft and fluffy. Petting them feels like petting a broom!
Male capybaras have scent glands on their snouts as you can see on dad-to-be PJ.
Heart shaped pads are an adorable feature on the back feet of capybaras who have three toes on their back feet and four on their front feet.
I heard of capybaras a few years ago when they became a viral internet sensation after they took over a neighborhood in Argentina. During the pandemic, when people were sheltering inside, capybaras (known as carpinchos in Argentina) took over the empty neighborhoods. They created quite a ruckus chewing up flower beds and even knocking delivery drivers off of their bikes!
Can you believe this wildlife preserve is in the backyard of a house in the middle of a residential area!
Sometimes, alligators sneak into the pond but I was assured there were non lurking under the water during our visit (but I still didn’t turn my back on it)!
Time to pet a pot bellied pig who was surrendered by his owners because he went from cute and chubby to huge and tubby!
Feed a Sloth!
My favorite part of the tour were the sloths! I was lucky to see a mother and baby in a tree when I was in Costa Rica but being able to see one up close and personal was a dream come true for me.
Sloths love sweet corn and it took Lilly the Sloth about 15 minutes to finish this little piece which she promptly dropped on the ground when she was done.
Under those long, flowing locks of hair lies the funniest little human-like ears!
Let me take a Slothie!
And a family Slothie with my hubby, daughters and their friend.
Another sloth named Luna recently had a baby named Liv and they love nothing more than hanging out.
Amazing Animals!
Amazing Animals was a truly amazing experience. We saw so many more animals including a mom lemur and her newborn baby, Geoffroy’s cats, owls, birds, Fennec foxes (with their adorable ears), a 16 year old tamarin named Mary Kate, Patagonian cavys, and five species of primates. My girls even held a snake!
Visit Amazing Animals Wildlife Preserve in St. Cloud Florida or go online to learn more about this organization that’s dedicated to animal conservation.
That was adorable. I appreciate the lil foot and ear closeups. Thank you!
The capybaras were so sweet Suzanne and who can resist a sloth ear?!
All these animals are adorable! Love all your sweet pictures!
Thanks Lisa it was a fun day with the animals!
That would be so fun, loved your family picture. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Marlene – it was the only family pic I got permission to share!!!!