Capybara
The capybara or greater capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is a giant cavy rodent native to South America. It is the largest living rodent.
Some words about capybaras
The capybara has a heavy, barrel-shaped body and short head, with reddish-brown fur on the upper part of its body that
turns yellowish-brown underneath.
Its sweat glands can be found in the surface of the hairy portions of its skin, an
unusual trait among rodents.
Some fun facts about capybaras:
- Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the nutria.
- Capybaras are proficient swimmers, swimming with only their nostrils, eyes, and ears above the surface. They are also known to swim underwater, sometimes for considerable distances.
- Capybaras live in large groups of extended family members, with group size varying from 2 to 30 individuals with one
dominant breeding male.
The mating system is one of resource defense polygyny, where males defend access to foraging resources associated with bodies of water. - They can make dog-like barks when threatened or when females are herding young.
Size:
Head and body length: 100 to 130 cm (3.3 to 4.3 ft.)
Shoulder height: up to 50 cm (1.6 ft.)
If you want to learn more about capybaras, visit a
Wikipedia page 😏.