Capybaras are large South American mammals that resemble giant guinea pigs. These water-loving animals are the largest rodents alive today. Capybaras, also known as water pigs, inhabit regions across South America, including Brazil, Paraguay, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, and Uruguay.
The first mention of this unusual rodent is found in the works of Linnaeus. Its unique appearance and lifestyle have made it a popular subject for internet memes and jokes.
What Kind of Animal is a Capybara?
The name “capybara” comes from the Guarani language, meaning “master of the grass,” which reflects its primary diet. The capybara looks like a comical blend of a beaver and a guinea pig, with a large, square head, small ears, and a heavy, barrel-shaped body.
Its eyes and nostrils are positioned at the top of its head, giving it excellent vision, hearing, and smell, even while mostly submerged in water. Capybaras can press their ears against their heads to keep water out when diving and can stay underwater for up to five minutes.
Their bodies are covered in short, rough fur, which helps them retain warmth and dry quickly after being in water. The light brown fur also serves as camouflage in murky waters. Like hippos, capybaras have webbed toes that assist them in swimming. They have three toes on their hind feet and four on their front, with webbed feet that are equipped with large claws, helping them both swim and walk on slippery underwater surfaces.
Capybaras have a small rudimentary tail and 20 teeth. Their sharp incisors never stop growing. The body length of capybaras ranges from 107 to 134 cm, with a shoulder height of 50 to 64 cm. They can weigh between 35 and 66 kg, with record weights reaching up to 91 kg. Females are slightly larger than males. While great swimmers, capybaras are somewhat clumsy on land.
Water Pig Lifestyle
Capybaras are semi-aquatic and spend most of their time in or near water. They are excellent swimmers and adapt well to various environments, thriving on both land and water. Their habitats range from wetlands to grasslands and even tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are particularly suited for capybaras as they provide plenty of tall grass and a variety of water sources.
Capybaras live in groups of 10 to 20 individuals, although populations can swell to over 100 during the dry season. These social animals communicate with each other through whistling, barking, clicking, growling, and other sounds only they understand. They also use scent secretions from sebaceous glands on their noses for communication. Dominant males mark their territory using this gland secretion.
Capybaras never stray more than a kilometer from water sources. Typically, they live in small groups led by a dominant male, along with subordinate males, females, and young. Group living allows them to be more vigilant against predators. They are most active during the day but may become nocturnal if their environment becomes less favorable.
Fun Fact! In the 16th century, the Church classified capybara as “fish,” allowing people to consume its meat during Lent.
Natural Enemies of Capybara
Capybaras have a relatively stable population across most of South America. Their lifespan in the wild is about 8–10 years, although most only live for about four years due to numerous natural predators.
Their enemies include caimans, crocodiles, wild dogs, eagles, ocelots, anacondas, pumas, and jaguars. Humans also hunt capybaras for their meat, fur, or because they damage crops. Capybaras spend much of their time in water, often diving to escape from predators.
What Does a Capybara Eat?
Capybaras are herbivores, primarily feeding on aquatic and terrestrial plants, tubers, crops, fruits, and the bark of young trees. They are selective eaters. During the rainy season, 75% of their diet consists of just 3 to 6 types of plants.
Fun Fact! Capybaras are coprophagous, meaning they eat their own feces to maximize nutrient absorption (proteins and vitamins) and replenish their gut bacteria. This process allows them to extract the maximum nutrients from plant-based food.
Reproduction
Capybaras mate in water, with gestation lasting about five months. A typical litter consists of 3–5 offspring, each weighing around 1–1.5 kg. The young remain under their mother’s care for about two months and start grazing on grass after three weeks.
Fun Fact! Capybara babies are born in the grass, and shortly after birth, the mother and her young join the rest of the herd.
Can a Capybara Be a Pet?
Capybaras are docile, herbivorous animals with a calm temperament. This makes them potential pets, provided their owners can provide the right environment. They are selective about their food and need a constant supply of fresh grass or special feeds to avoid developing scurvy. Capybaras also need a large space to roam freely and access to a pool or water body for swimming.