The capybara is a giant cavy rodent native to South America. It is the largest living rodent and a member of the genus Hydrochoerus.
Let’s find out more about the famous animal!
- The capybara or greater capybara is a giant cavy rodent.
- It is native to South America.
- It is the largest living rodent.
- It is a member of the genus Hydrochoerus.
- It’s the only other extant member is the lesser capybara (Hydrochoerus isthmius).
- Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies.
- It is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the nutria.
- The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests, and lives near bodies of water.
- It is a highly social species.
- It can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals.
- A capybara usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals.
- The capybara is hunted for its meat and hide and also for grease from its thick fatty skin.
- It is not considered a threatened species.
- Its common name is derived from Tupi ka’apiûara, a complex agglutination of kaá (leaf) + píi (slender) + ú (eat) + ara (a suffix for agent nouns), meaning “one who eats slender leaves”, or “grass-eater”.
- The scientific name, both hydrochoerus and hydrochaeris, comes from Greek (hydor “water”) and χοῖρος (choiros “pig, hog”).
- Capybaras are semiaquatic mammals found throughout all countries of South America except Chile.
- They live in densely forested areas near bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds, and marshes, as well as flooded savannah and along rivers in the tropical rainforest.
- They are superb swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes at a time. Capybara have flourished in cattle ranches.
- They roam in home ranges averaging 10 hectares (25 acres) in high-density populations.
- Many escapees from captivity can also be found in similar watery habitats around the world.
- Sightings are fairly common in Florida, although a breeding population has not yet been confirmed.
- In 2011, one specimen was spotted on the Central Coast of California.
- These escaped populations occur in areas where prehistoric capybaras inhabited; late Pleistocene capybaras inhabited Florida
- Feral capybaras in North America may actually fill the ecological niche of the Pleistocene species.
- Capybaras can dive and stay underwater for up to 5 minutes at a time.
- They are often falling asleep in the water whilst keeping their nose at the edge of the banks.
- Napping along rivers, mangroves and marshes helps them to stay cool.
- They capable of reaching speeds of up to 35 kilometers an hour—that’s as fast as a horse.
- Capybaras are rather vocal animals.
- They like to express themselves by purring, barking, cackling, whistling, squealing, whining, grunting and even teeth-chattering—depending on what they’re trying to communicate. Not only are there harmonic differences among social groups, but each sound a Capybara makes bears a significant meaning.
- Alerts from group members can be environmental cues, including as danger from predators and isolation of their young.
- To make up for the constant wear and tear of eating tough aquatic plants and grasses—their pearly whites will just keep on growing!
- A whole host of bird species, monkeys, rabbits, and even other Capybaras have been spotted seated, perched or laying on the back of a much-obliging Capybara.
- With an average weight of around 50 kilograms, these barrel-shaped mammals are certainly no field mice—weighing anywhere between 35 and 70 kilograms.
- Female Capybaras are a little heavier than their male counterparts.
- They drink milk for the first 16 week of their lives—suckling indiscriminately from any of the mothers in the group.
- As crepuscular animals, capybaras are most active during dawn or dusk.
- Sometimes, though, when capybaras feel threatened they will be nocturnal, which means they will stay awake at night and sleep during the day.
- The dark provides them cover while they eat and socialize so that predators are less likely to attack them.
- Gestation for a female capybara can last up to 120 days.
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