Beloved capybara at the Santa Barbara Zoo dies
Incident Date:
10/31/2026
Location:
Santa Barbara, CA - USA
Facility Name:
Santa Barbara Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Other
Animal:
Capybara
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara Zoo is mourning the loss of its capybara, Antonio. In August, it was reported that he was battling multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer that originates in the plasma cells of the bone marrow.
Zoo officials said their veterinary team worked with a local veterinary oncologist to develop a chemotherapy regimen to give him the best chance of remission. During his last few days, however, his health sharply declined. He faced progressive limb weakness, which was severely affecting his quality of life. The zoo decided to euthanize him.
Action take by Born Free USA:
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