THEY are the world's largest rodents, normally found in South America's rainforests and, for the first time in almost a decade, they have bred at Blackpool Zoo!

Three capybaras - who bear a striking resemblance to domestic guinea pigs, have been born at the popular animal park and the babies are now delighting visitors as they lap up the autumn sunshine.

The zoo's capybaras, have been moved to a new location in the park, providing plenty of natural grazing space and permanent access to a central island which is surrounded by a lake. Capybaras are native to the Amazon rainforest, Panama, the Andes mountains, Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina.

Although slightly clumsy on land, they are expert swimmers and live in areas with marshes, lakes and streams in the continent's vast forests.

Their name means 'master of the grasses' in the language of the Guarani indians, though in another South American language the word means 'water pig.' They can live for eight to 10 years in the wild, or around 12 years in the zoo and their diet consists of melons and some fruits, as well as aquatic plants, grass, tree bark and grains.

They stand about two fee tall at the shoulder and typically weigh around 100 pounds.

Andrew Coates, the new director at the zoo, said: "The Capybara area is part of a programme of enhanced improvements and they are obviously content in their new surroundings. Its extremely rewarding to see these new arrivals in a family."