Capybara
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Capybara | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Least Concern |
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| Binomial name | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1766) |
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 Capybara range
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Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is a semi-aquatic rodent of South America. It weighs about a hundred pounds, and is about 2 feet tall at the shoulder.
[change] Description
The world's largest rodent (related to rats and mice). They weigh in at around 55 kg. The capybara's stocky body has a length of about a metre and a height at the shoulder around 60 cm. It ranges in colour from brown to reddish and has tough skin, which is sometimes used to make high quality leather. The eyes and ears are high on the head so they can easily be kept above water when swimming.
[change] Lifestyle
The capybara is semi-aquatic, living in grassy wetland areas or close to rivers. It carries out most of its activities on land, using water as a refuge where is swims and dives with ease. There are simple webs between the toes that help when swimming. They can hold their breath under water for only a few minutes, but can hide in water when necessary for much longer, with only their noses sticking out of the water. The hottest hours of the day are spent in the water and grazing is done in the mornings, evenings and at night.
