Capybara

Capybara

The Capybara is the largest living rodent in the world. The Capybara is related to agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs. The name for the Capybara comes from Kapiÿva in the Guarani language which means "master of the grasses". The Capybara's scientific name, hydrochaeris, is Greek for "water hog".

These large rodents have heavy, barrel-shaped bodies and short heads with reddish-brown fur on the upper part of their body that turns yellowish-brown underneath. Adult capybaras may grow to 4.3 ft, and weigh up to 140 lb.

Their back legs are slightly longer than their front legs, their feet are slightly webbed, they have no tail and their muzzles are blunt with eyes, nostrils, and ears on top of their head. This is an animal where the females are slightly heavier than males.

Capybaras are social animals, normally found in groups, between 10 and 30 although there have been sightings of larger groups of up to 100.

Capybara herds are controlled by a dominant male who has a prominent scent gland on his nose that he uses to smearing his scent on the grasses in his territory.)

Capybaras communicate through a combination of scent and sound, being very vocal animals with purrs and alarm barks, whistles and clicks, squeals and grunts.

The giant rodent is an excellent swimmer, with the ability to survive completely underwater for up to five minutes. They use ability to evade predators. In times of necessity and extreme danger, a Capybara can sleep underwater, keeping its nose just at the waterline.

As temperatures increase, Capybaras wallow in water to keep cool and then graze in late afternoons and early evenings. Not needing much sleep, Capybaras usually doze off and on throughout the day and graze into and through the night.

The Capybara is not considered a threatened species.

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