The capybara or greater capybara is a giant cavy rodent native to South
America. It is the largest living rodent and a member of the genus
Hydrochoerus. The only other extant member is the lesser capybara. Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the nutria. The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water.
