Zookeepers gave a special treat to their resident Capybara - the largest species of rodent in the world - to mark Chinese New Year and the coming Year of the Rat.

Footage from Wednesday (January 22) morning shows a platter of fruit and vegetables being prepared for the animal at the Night Safari zoo in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

Zoo director Anucha Damrongmanee said the tourists who visited the zoo were 90 percent Chinese and the zoo wanted to arrange a warm welcome for them.

He said: "Since the majority of our tourists are Chinese, we set up this event to celebrate the New Year for them.

"And the next Chinese year will be the Year of the Rat, so we chose to provide food for the Capybara, which is a big rat."

Zookeepers give a special treat to their resident Capybara - the largest species of rodent in the world - to mark Chinese New Year and the coming year of the rat.

Footage from Wednesday (22/01) morning shows a platter of fruit and vegetables being prepared for the animal at the Night Safari zoo in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

Zoo director Anucha Damrongmanee said the tourists who visited the zoo were 90 per cent Chinese and the zoo wanted to arrange a warm welcome for them.

He said: "Since the majority of our tourists are Chinese, we set up this event to celebrate the New Year for them.

"And the next Chinese year will be the year of the rat, so we choose to provided food for the Capybara, which is a big rat."