LindaOH
The Capybara is a semiaquatic mammal native to South America. Escapees from captivity have been found in Florida and the central coast of California. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Its close relative is the guinea pig; and it’s distantly related to the chinchilla.
Its habitat is savannas, dense forests and along rivers in the tropical rainforest. It will always live near a body of water. They are highly social and live in groups of 10-20 animals. They are not a threatened species and are hunted for meat, hides and grease from its thick, fatty skin which is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
The Capybara is heavy and barrel-shaped with a short head and reddish-brown fur. It has slightly webbed feet with three toes in the rear and four toes on the front feet. The Capybaras average 3.5-4.5 feet in length, 20-24 inches in height and weigh from 77 to 146 pounds. Females are slightly heavier than the males. They can hold their breath under water for up to 5 minutes.
They are herbivores and feed on grasses , aquatic plants, fruits and tree bark. The lifespan of a Capybara in captivity can be up to 12 years but only 4 in the wild because they are a favorite meal for jaguars, pumas, ocelots, eagles, caiman and anacondas. They can make a dog-like bark if threatened or when the female is herding her young.
Capybaras are gentle and can be hand-fed; but this is discouraged because they can have the tick that carries Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Some people like to keep them as pets; but they are illegal in some states.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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Have you ever seen a capybara?
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Yes
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No
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I saw a similar animal in the zoo. I do not know whether it was this animal
I just learned about them just now. Thanks,
I have never seen them before.
I believe they are the largest rodent
Yes, in the post I mentioned that they are the largest living rodent in the world.
some holdout from the last ice age?
Could be! I didn’t go into their history this time.
Could be! I didn’t go into their history this time.
I know everything got giant back then
I have seen these on tv, like the Nat Geo or the Dodo show. Cuties!
I find it hard to think of them as rodents because they are kind of cute; and some people do keep them as pets.
Despite their heft – capybara grow to be about 4-ft. long and weigh upwards of 100 lbs. – these rodents are friendly and respond well to human contact
I’ve no idea about them!
Thanks for the information, they’re sure cute !! 🙂
There are some posts on here about the animal. I have never seen one.