A herd of capybaras entered the legislative assembly building in Cuiaba, the capital of Mato Grosso state in Brazil, according to Associated Press. The animals walked through the front entrance while parliamentarians were preparing for a vote, surprising the deputies inside.
Visits from neighboring park
The parliament building is next to a park where wild animals live, and the capybaras appeared to expand their habitat into the building. Parliamentary staff member Nayara Bueno captured video of the visit and tried to guide the herd back into the park. Bueno said the animals appear in and near the building frequently, so employees are already accustomed to seeing them.
The capybaras caused no damage to the building or to any people. They stood looking at the deputies for a brief period before walking away.
Earlier reports noted a shortage of capybaras in Russian zoos. Although capybaras are not a rare species, they recently gained widespread popularity, prompting many zoos to acquire them for their collections.
