Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

Mammal Rodent Semi-aquatic

Overview

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest living rodent in the world, a semi-aquatic herbivore native to South America. Heavy-bodied and barrel-shaped, with partially webbed feet, it is supremely adapted to life around water and is almost always found near wetlands, rivers, and lakes.

Capybaras are highly social and remarkably tolerant animals, often seen resting in groups and sharing space with a wide range of birds and other wildlife. They are a familiar and well-loved species across much of their range.

Conservation note: the capybara is widespread and common across much of South America, but local populations depend on healthy wetland habitat. Verify current status at iucnredlist.org before relying on it.

Classification

Capybaras are rodents in the family Caviidae, which makes them relatives of guinea pigs and other South American cavies. A second, smaller species, the lesser capybara (Hydrochoerus isthmius), occurs in parts of northern South America and Panama.

Habitat & Range

Capybaras live across much of South America east of the Andes, in densely vegetated areas beside water: marshes, swamps, riverbanks, lake margins, and seasonally flooded grasslands such as the Pantanal and Llanos. Reliable access to water and grazing is essential.

Diet & Feeding

Capybaras are grazing herbivores, eating mainly grasses and aquatic plants and supplementing this with fruit and bark at times. As hindgut fermenters that also re-ingest some droppings, they make efficient use of a fibre-rich, relatively low-quality diet.

Behavior & Social Life

Capybaras are gregarious, generally living in groups built around females and young with one or more males. Water is central to their lives: they swim well, wallow to keep cool, and dive to escape predators, sometimes staying submerged with just the nostrils showing. They communicate with a range of vocalisations, including barks, whistles, and purrs.

Appearance & Recognition

Capybaras have a large, blunt-muzzled head, small ears and eyes set high on the head, a heavy body covered in coarse reddish-brown hair, and short legs with slightly webbed feet. They have no real tail. Their size alone — by far the largest of any rodent — together with their waterside habitat makes them easy to recognise.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Capybaras are generally tolerant of people and in some areas live close to farmland and settlements. They are hunted in parts of their range and are affected by wetland loss, but remain widespread overall. For current status and any regional concerns, consult authoritative conservation sources.

More photos of the capybara