Choose your experience:
Capybara Lounge: 30-minute cozy session with friendly capybaras
Private Capybara: 45-minute group session with a capybara and café refreshments
Lemur Lounge: 25-minute guided encounter in a small, structured group
Mini Safari: Meet a wallaby, coati mundi, and armadillo
After Dark: Daytime with nocturnal animals—skunks, ringtail cats, fennec foxes
Each experience is guided, supervised, and educational—not a petting zoo.
Capybaras are naturally social animals. When introduced through calm, choice-based interactions and regular enrichment, they can form trusting bonds with familiar humans. Each animal at our sanctuary has a unique personality and always has the option to engage or retreat.
Our encounters are designed for small groups.
Is there an age limit?
Encounters are suitable for ages 3 and up. Children under 18 must be supervised by an adult.
No, we provide specific food that is safe for the capybaras during the encounter.
Your booking helps fund:
Veterinary care for routine check-ups and specialized treatment
Daily enrichment: pools, foraging games, sensory items, and habitat complexity
Habitat development: safe spaces that reflect animals’ natural behaviors
Educational outreach: expanding programs for local families and partners
Always approach calmly.
Feeding is supervised by our staff.
Follow instructions to ensure a stress-free experience for the animals.
Our practices are evidence-based—founded on peer-reviewed research in animal behavior and welfare science. We uphold choice-based engagement using trained staff and guided, small-group interactions. Each session is structured around animal-led participation, minimizing stress and optimizing welfare.
For full scientific details on capybara behavior, stress reduction, and welfare best practices, visit our “Capybara 101 – Science & Social Behavior” series in Capy Learning Corner.
Are they petting zoos? No—they’re educational lounges with guided, optional interaction
Do animals get forced? Never—participation is entirely voluntary
Why rotating animals? Temporary measure during habitat buildout
What cares are funded? Health, enrichment, habitat, and education
No. Capybara Café and our affiliated nonprofit sanctuary, Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, are based in Hastings, Florida and are not associated in any way with the organization of the same name located in Georgia. We are an independently operated entity with our own mission, leadership, and animal care philosophy.
We understand the name similarity can be confusing, and we are actively working to clarify this distinction across our platforms. If you have questions about our sanctuary or operations, feel free to contact us directly through our website.
All animal interactions at Capybara Café are supervised and structured to prioritize the animal’s well-being and autonomy. Guests are guided by trained staff or licensed facilitators who ensure encounters remain calm, respectful, and choice-driven.
We emphasize the following best practices for every adult visitor:
Never force interaction. Capybaras must choose to engage. If they walk away or need space, we honor that.
Stay low and calm. Crouching at eye level and allowing capybaras to approach you is far more effective than reaching out abruptly.
Respect body language. Trained staff will explain capybara signals—such as chirping, teeth chattering, or shifting posture—so guests can respond appropriately.
Avoid overwhelming energy. Loud noises, sudden movements, or excessive handling can create stress and are not permitted.
Follow facilitator direction. All experiences are hosted by trained individuals licensed to manage animal interaction and safety. Listening to their guidance ensures both the animals and guests are protected.
Every encounter is an opportunity to build trust—not to expect affection or interaction on demand. Our goal is to help guests connect with wildlife in a way that is informed, ethical, and mutually beneficial.
We use the tools available to help us deliver on our mission, including AI. Just like many of the platforms people use every day for design, communication, and customer service, we rely on AI to support the work we do. It allows us to be more efficient, reach more people, and focus on what matters most—education, community, and animal care. This is not about shortcuts. It is about using the tools of today to meet the needs of tomorrow with purpose and integrity.
