CAPYBARA - The Largest Living Rodent In The World.

Capybara by Elsemargriet

INTRODUCTION

Capybaras(Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the largest living rodents in the world. These creatures are one of the species of the genus Hydrochoerus while the other is the lesser capybara(H. isthmius). Capybaras are semi-aquatic creatures. They are amazing swimmers and can hold their breath for up to 5 minutes at a time underwater.

DESCRIPTION These barrel-shaped, heavy and semi-aquatic rodents grow 106 - 134 cm in length and weigh anywhere between 35 - 66 kg. The fur on the upper side of the body is reddish-brown in colour while on the lower side is yellowish-brown in colour. Their lifespan can be 8-10 years but they survive no more than 4 years in the wild due to predation. Capybaras have slightly webbed feet that help them manoeuvre in the water and move on the soft muddy ground. They also possess a short, vestigial tail. The rear legs of capybaras possess three toes and are slightly longer than their front legs which possess four toes. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION Capybaras are distributed in all the Southern American countries except Chile. They are found in the savanna, densely forested areas and tropical rainforests near water bodies. DIET AND FEEDING HABITS Capybaras are herbivorous(eating only plants), crepuscular(most active at twilight)and autocopraphagous(eating one's own faeces)animals. Capybaras mainly consume grasses and aquatic plants but during the dry season, they'll eat reeds, grains, melons and squashes. The adults can eat 2.7 to 3.6 kg of fresh grass per day. Autocopraphagy sounds gross but capybaras eat their own poop to maintain the bacterial gut flora, digest the cellulose in the grass and extract maximum nutrition from their food by passing it twice through their digestive system. Regurgitation of food and chewing it again is also common to aid in digestion. PREDATION Capybaras are often preyed upon by other creatures. Adult capybaras are preyed upon by jaguars, caimans and anaconda while the young ones can be preyed upon by ocelots and harpy eagles. However, the biggest threat to capybaras is humans as they hunt capybaras for their meat and hide. DEFENCE Unlike most other creatures, capybaras are not equipped with special features to defend themselves. So, whenever they sense the danger, they run into the water and stay inside it until they are clear of the danger. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

A group of capybaras by Jaime Dantas Capybaras are social animals, usually living in groups of 10-20 individuals with 1 dominant male, a few subordinate males, females and juveniles. However, during the dry season, a single group can be comprised of 50 to 100 individuals.

COMMUNICATION

Capybaras are gregarious animals and they use a variety of sounds like barks, chirps, whistles and purrs to communicate with each other. They use this sound to alert others of danger and keep track of babies and each other. They also use scent glands to mark their territory and communicate.