Capybara

Communicate using various vocalizations such as whistles, whinnies, and growls

Kevin Schafer

These excellent swimmers are the largest living rodent in the world! The common name, Capybara, is derived from the Tupi language spoken by aboriginal people in Brazil, which means ‘grass eater.’ They can be recognized by their reddish-brown fur on the upper part of the body, but they turn yellowish-brown around the belly. Their body is shaped like a barrel, and they have a short head.

True to their name, capybaras are herbivore that grazes mainly on aquatic plants and grasses. To compensate for the constant wear of teeth during grazing, their prominent front teeth grow continuously throughout their life. They are autocoprophagus which means they re-ingest their feces that contain bacterial gut flora to help digest cellulose in grass and extract maximum nutrients from their diet.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Argentina
2016
Bolivia
2016
Brazil
2016
Colombia
2016
Ecuador
2016
Guyana
2016
Paraguay
2016
Peru
2016
Uruguay
2016
Venezuela
2016

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No