Capybara

The capybara or greater capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest living rodent, native to all countries in South America except Chile. This amazing animal is a semiaquatic herbivore, which means it spends time both on land and in water. It lives in savannas and dense forests, always close to bodies of water, and mainly eats grasses and aquatic plants.

Capybaras are very social animals, usually living in groups of 10 to 20 individuals, but sometimes in groups as large as one hundred. They are often hunted for their meat, hide, and the grease from their thick, fatty skin.

Along with the lesser capybara, the capybara belongs to the genus Hydrochoerus. Its other close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies. More distantly, it is related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the nutria.

Etymology

The word "capybara" comes from a language called Tupi. It means "one who eats slender leaves" or "grass-eater". The scientific name, Hydrochoerus, has parts that mean "water pig" in Greek. This name reflects that capybaras live near water and look a bit like pigs.

Classification and phylogeny

The capybara and the lesser capybara are part of the subfamily Hydrochoerinae, along with the rock cavies. Scientists have found that capybaras and rock cavies are closely related, so they are now grouped together in a subfamily of the Caviidae family.

Earlier classifications placed capybaras in their own family called Hydrochoeridae. But newer studies show that capybaras and rock cavies share a common ancestor, so they are now both placed in the Hydrochoerinae subfamily. This change helps us better understand how these animals are related.

Description

The capybara has a heavy, barrel-shaped body with short heads. Its fur is reddish-brown on top and yellowish-brown underneath. Unlike most rodents, its skin has sweat glands.

Adult capybaras grow to be about 106 to 134 cm (3.48 to 4.40 ft) long and stand 50 to 62 cm (20 to 24 in) tall. They usually weigh between 35 to 66 kg (77 to 146 lb), with females being slightly heavier than males. They have slightly webbed feet, with three toes on their rear feet and four on their front feet. Their muzzles are blunt, and their eyes and ears are placed near the top of their heads.

Ecology

Capybaras are semiaquatic mammals found in all countries of South America except Chile. They live in forested areas near lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds, and marshes. They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to five minutes. Capybaras often live on cattle ranches and explore areas about 10 hectares in size.

Some capybaras have escaped captivity and are now found in places like Florida and the Central Coast of California. They eat mainly grasses, aquatic plants, fruit, and tree bark. Their teeth keep growing to help them chew tough plants.

Capybaras face threats from animals like jaguars, ocelots, cougars, eagles, caimans, and green anacondas. In the wild, they usually live about four years, though they can live up to ten years in safer places.

Social organization

Capybaras are friendly animals that often stay in groups. A typical group has about 10 to 20 capybaras, with a few adult males, several adult females, and the rest being younger capybaras. During dry weather, these groups can grow much larger as capybaras gather near water.

Males form bonds and show who is in charge in the group. When they feel threatened or when females are taking care of their babies, they can make sounds similar to a dog barking. Capybaras have special scent glands that both males and females use to leave scent marks on objects. Males have larger glands and use them more often.

Reproduction

When a female capybara is ready to have babies, her scent changes and she makes a whistling sound to let males know. Mating only happens in water, and the female decides which male to mate with. Even the dominant males can't stop other males from trying to mate. Females give birth on land and quickly return to the group with their new babies, who can move around soon after birth. The babies start eating grass within a week but continue to nurse for about four months. Young capybaras stay together in a smaller group within the larger one.

Activities

Capybaras are good at moving on land and in water. They love to swim and can stay underwater for up to five minutes to avoid danger. They often sleep in water with just their noses showing. During hot days, they enjoy playing in mud and water, then eat grass in the late afternoon and evening. They rest around midnight and eat again before sunrise.

Communication

Capybaras talk to each other using barks, chirps, whistles, huffs, and purrs.

Conservation and human interaction

Capybaras are not in danger, and their numbers stay steady in most parts of South America. However, in some places, people hunt them for their meat and fur, or kill them because they eat grass that livestock might eat. In other areas, people raise capybaras on farms, which helps protect their wetland homes. Capybaras can have lots of babies quickly, which helps them survive.

Capybaras live well even close to people. You can see them in zoos and parks, and they can live longer in captivity than in the wild. They are gentle and often let people pet them, but it’s best not to touch them too much because they can carry tiny bugs that might make people sick. Some places keep special records to watch over capybaras in zoos.

In parts of South America, people raise capybaras for food and fur. In some areas, their meat is not popular, but in others, it is an important food source, especially during certain religious times of the year. There are also special cafés where people can interact with capybaras.

In popular culture

Capybaras have become very popular in places like Japan and China, especially among young people. Many people admire them for seeming calm and peaceful. In Japan, some zoos, like Izu Shaboten Zoo, even let capybaras enjoy hot spring baths, and videos of this have been watched millions of times. This popularity has led to lots of fun items like plush toys and inspired characters in anime, such as Kapibara-san.

In recent years, capybaras have also become popular in online fun and jokes. They are often seen in funny videos, sometimes with music like the song "After Party" by Don Toliver. In 2022, a song about capybaras became a big hit on TikTok. Because they seem so relaxed, capybaras are sometimes called "buddha"-like.

In 2021, news stories from Argentina talked about capybaras causing some trouble in a neighborhood called Nordelta near Buenos Aires. This even led to some funny comments online about bigger ideas like class struggle and communism.