Airline facing fine over death of twelve capybaras

Twelve capybaras died after they were kept on a plane for 56 hours without water in cramped cages, a court heard. The mammals were among 20 who had started their journey in Lima, Peru, before being flown by the Spanish airline Iberia from Madrid to Beijing via London Heathrow. Capybaras are a large South American rodent whose friendly and gentle nature make them very popular with exotic animal collectors. Staff at Heathrow Animal Reception Centre immediately became concerned when the…