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Open my wish list →Capybaras live in Central and South America, on riverbanks, beside ponds and in marshes. Here are three things worth knowing about them.
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. It was once thought to be a kind of pig, but it is a rodent, closely related to cavies and guinea pigs.
SourceA capybara's eyes, ears and nostrils are all near the top of its head. It can lift just those parts out of the water while the rest of its body stays hidden underneath.
SourceA capybara's front teeth keep growing all its life. An adult can eat 2.7 to 3.6 kilograms of grass a day.
SourceWater lovers
A capybara's skin is dry, so a capybara needs a swimming hole to stay healthy. It eats water plants and grasses, and it uses the water to escape from danger. A capybara can stay underwater for up to five minutes at a time to hide. Its feet are slightly webbed, with four toes on each front foot and three on each back foot, and it uses them to swim as well as walk. On a hot day, capybaras wallow in shallow water and mud to keep cool, then wander out in the evening to graze.
SourceLiving together
Capybaras usually live in small groups of about 10. A group has a leading male, one or more females, one or more other males, and several young. During the wet season, as many as 40 capybaras may be found together. Living in a crowd helps, because there are many sets of eyes watching out for the youngsters. Capybaras tend to eat around dawn and dusk. But if they feel threatened, they wait until the safe cover of night to eat.
SourceHydrochoerus isthmius
A little smaller than the common capybara, it lives close to water, in marshes, ponds and lagoons. It is found in parts of eastern Panama, western Colombia and Venezuela, and it likes to travel in groups of about 20.
SourceCavia porcellus
Despite the name, guinea pigs do not come from Guinea, and they are not closely related to pigs. When they are happily excited, they may do little hops in the air, again and again. This is known as "popcorning".
SourceKerodon rupestris
This cavy is native to eastern Brazil, where it lives in dry, rocky places with low, scrubby plants. It is able to climb, which makes it easier to reach leaves, seeds and the odd fruit. Scientists have recently placed it in the same subfamily as the capybaras.
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