MASSIVE RODENT FOUND THIRTY-POUND CAPYBARA SURFACES IN BACKYARD POND.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

A toothy critter that looks like a giant guinea pig - and is the largest of the world's rodents - was found taking a dip Wednesday in a backyard pond in Thousand Oaks.

The home's resident discovered the capybara swimming amid the fish and plants at his suburban oasis and immediately knew which one didn't belong, animal control officials said.

``I didn't believe the guy at first,'' said Los Angeles County Animal Control Sgt. Denise Rosen in Agoura Hills. ``This thing was kind of happy. It was just swimming around.''

Native to South America, the animal is a 30-pound juvenile of a species whose females can grow to weigh 145 pounds, animal officials reported from information they'd drawn from a Web site.

Also called a water pig - resembling a beaver without a tail - the capybara lumbers awkwardly on land but can swim long distances and stay underwater up to five minutes, according to animal officials and Web sites.

It eats mainly grass and grunts and whistles to communicate - and the young ones purr.

This one seemed friendly enough, animal control officer Rosen said, once she got a leash around its neck and walked it around. Officials said they believed this was someone's illegal pet that escaped.

Rosen said workers at the Thousand Oaks home had scooped the critter up in a net and plopped it into a trash container until she arrived.

After trying unsuccessfully to place the capybara at a zoo, animal officials found a home for it at a private wildlife sanctuary.

Which could turn out to be a Hollywood ending - the sanctuary provides animals for roles in the entertainment industry.

``He could become a movie star,'' said shelter manager Gail Miley.

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A capybara found Wednesday in a Thousand Oaks resident's pond stays temporarily at an Agoura animal shelter.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer