The capybara is the largest rodent in the world, which can weigh more than 100 lbs (45 kg), and I would also add - the cutest. When I saw this animal for the first time somewhere on the internet, I couldn't believe how adorable it was!
Marina Somma from Central Florida received a capybara named Pumpkin from another animal facility when she was only five months old and it was the best decision ever, since the animal definitely seems to be living her best life, bringing so much joy not only to the woman but also to millions of people around the world.
More info: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Pumpkin the capybara loves taking naps and chilling with her furrends, especially her buddy Stevie
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Everything started with Marina's love for animals and deep wish to protect them when she decided to create Dark Wings Wildlife Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit animal education program based out of Florida. She wanted to highlight misunderstood species as well as showcase the individual personalities of each animal while allowing the viewers to create a bond with each one.
"I spent many years working in the zoological field, and during that time encountered many Animal Ambassador programs within those zoos and aquariums," the woman explained in an interview with Bored Panda.
"I’ve always been inspired by the connections those programs can foster by showcasing an animal’s individual personality and giving the public an up-close look, and decided I’d like to build a program like that myself (sans the full zoo)," she added.
The woman take cares of several animals, yet instantly created a very special bond with Pumpkin. The capybara loves napping under blankets, cuddles on the couch and keeping Marina company when she works from home.
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Despite capybaras' adorable appearance, taking care of one can be a truly big challenge.
"It's a matter of capy-proofing everything. She'll chew through any exposed wires and anything plastic. She has one specific sheet that she loves eating," Marina said and added that capybaras are also vegetarian, therefore have some very specific dietary needs.
"They can destroy a cord in a matter of seconds, they chew on just about anything, and they are HEAVY. Not to mention they literally have to have a large water source to swim in, and they potty in the water as well," the woman shared with us.
Yet no matter all the obstacles, Marina loves having the capybara around because Pumpkin gets along with everybody; she loves playing with Marina's dog Stevie and has always been quite the character.
"Pumpkin LOVES her buddy Stevie, and she is friendly with our older dog Mozzie as well. With that said, she has pretty serious beef with a few other animals around here," Marina said.
"She’s not a fan of the blind goose (he runs into her, and she seems to find that rude) so she tries to sit or step on him. She’s also got a full blown rivalry with the goats, who she is quite confrontational with because Stevie is scared of them," she added and noted that animal behavior is much more nuanced and very often based on the individual than people might realize.
Marina loves to have Pumpkin around no matter all the challenges and her always surprising character
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Pumpkin was raised in Marina's home as a method of socializing her and integrating her with their other animals, but she no longer stays in the house. Now Pumpkin is an adult, so she lives outside in their barn and will eventually be joined by a second capybara named Cheesecake.
"Cheesecake is quite cute, but she’s not a pet! Just spoiled! She’s an ambassador for our animal education programs and is being socialized with us until she’s big enough to stay with our adult female, Pumpkin!" Marina explained.
For those who haven't heard about Marina's Dark Wings Wildlife & Education, I highly recommend checking out her Instagram and TikTok, which has over 12 million likes.
Folks all around the world can't get enough of Pumpkin and Cheesecake’s cuteness. From seeing the capybara's smile to enjoying the video of her getting her tummy scratched - these little clips will definitely brighten any of your days.
"Seeing all the adorable nuances of their personalities and being able to share that with millions of people is absolutely amazing. Something as simple as Cheesecake having a ridiculously sassy-looking side eye that brings joy to people on a daily basis can not only work to bring people happiness but also help foster a love for these animals!" Marina shared.
Pumpkin is also a beautiful activist, who’s chewing people’s messages for a great cause: to support the non-profit education and outreach offered at Dark Wings Wildlife
Speaking of bringing joy, Pumpkin is a true star of 'capygrams'.
"One day, we had a fan ask if we could cheer up their friend with a paper 'sign,' and Pumpkin sniffed it and checked it out. She did not try to eat the actual paper, by the way. After I sent them the video, they jokingly said it would be funny if she nibbled on the paper a bit, and the light bulb went off!" Marina said.
She then came up with an idea that people could send her notes and Pumpkin would chew them right up in the most adorable way imaginable. Wafer paper is totally safe for capybaras, since it's made from potato starch and the marker is kids’ food coloring.
All this cute chewing is for a great cause - to support the non-profit education and outreach offered at Dark Wings Wildlife, an organization focused on providing learning opportunities with interesting and beautiful wildlife, like Pumpkin.
"People send us a donation and a message they would like, and we write their message on the edible paper and feed it to the capy," explained Marina.
To book a 'capygram,' anyone can reach out to her via private message on her social media or via email here.
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Image credits: Dark Wings Wildlife & Education
Marina and her Dark Wings Wildlife organization are not only putting huge smiles on millions of people's faces through Pumpkin's adorably cute videos, but also trying to educate us about the biggest misconceptions we have about the animals.
The program that was built very carefully one step and one animal at a time now has a long-term goal of taking in more ambassadors - hopefully, a few non-releasable native species as well, while still keeping that hands-on approach that allows people to connect with each individual one.
People on the internet couldn't get enough of adorable Pumpkin and her furrends
