zoo Manorville, NY
LONG ISLAND GAME FARM — CAPYBARA CLUB
The only capybara encounter programme on Long Island, run as a family membership rather than a ticketed session. Education first, photos second, and a diner gift card on the way out.
Plan your visit
- Type
- farm
- Hours
-
The game farm operates a seasonal schedule and the Capybara Club is a programme within it rather than a standing daily session. Confirm dates directly before travelling.
- Best time
- Spring–Fall (the farm runs a seasonal schedule)
Unconfirmed We could not fully confirm the details here. Treat everything as a lead and check the official site before you go.
Long Island's answer to the capybara cafe, except it is a wildlife park and the capybaras are not the whole business.
What the Capybara Club actually is
The Long Island Game Farm in Manorville launched the Long Island Capybara Club in mid-2026 as a family programme combining wildlife education, conservation activities and time with the farm's capybaras. It is managed by the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability, whose executive director, Melinda Novak, framed the goal as getting children invested in wildlife conservation rather than simply meeting an animal.
That framing is the useful thing to know before you book. This is not the 30-minute, sit-down, hand-feeding format that capybara cafes run. It is a programme at a working game farm, and the capybara time sits inside a broader educational structure.
The restaurant tie-in
The club is sponsored by Pete's Taverna, a restaurant at 3225 Sound Ave in Riverhead, roughly 13 miles from the farm. Participating families receive a $25 gift card, and the restaurant has renamed its children's menu the "Happy Capy Kid's Menu."
It is a straightforwardly commercial arrangement and the farm has not pretended otherwise. Whether that bothers you is a matter of taste; it does mean the practical cost of a visit is lower than the headline suggests.
What we could not confirm
Membership pricing, session length, group size, the age range the programme is pitched at, and how much direct contact with the capybaras is included are all unpublished in the sources we could read. The farm's own site is the place to settle those before you plan a day around it.
We have also not independently confirmed how many capybaras the farm holds or how the encounter is supervised. This entry is marked unverified for that reason.
Good to know
- This is a game farm with a capybara programme, not a capybara cafe. Set expectations accordingly.
- The $25 Pete's Taverna gift card is part of the package, and the restaurant is about 13 miles away in Riverhead.
- The programme is explicitly education-led. If you want a guaranteed hands-on photo session, ask before booking rather than after.
- Long Island Game Farm runs seasonally. Check operating dates before driving out.
Published on September 15, 2026 Checked on September 15, 2026 By Grumpy Capy
FAQ
Where can you see capybaras on Long Island?
Long Island Game Farm in Manorville, New York is the only venue on Long Island running a dedicated capybara programme. Its Capybara Club launched in 2026.
What does the Long Island Capybara Club include?
Wildlife education, conservation activities and time with the farm's capybaras, plus a $25 gift card to Pete's Taverna in Riverhead. Exact pricing and session format are not published in the sources we could read.
Who runs the Capybara Club?
It is a Long Island Game Farm programme managed by the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability and sponsored by Pete's Taverna.
Can you touch the capybaras?
Not confirmed. The programme is described as education-led rather than as a hands-on encounter, so ask the farm directly before assuming contact is included.
Details change – always confirm hours, prices, and booking on the official site before you travel. Animal encounters are subject to each venue's welfare rules.
