Seeing all the videos about capybaras made us curious to find out more about this animal. Did you know that the capybara is also known as carpincho or water hog?
- Internet sensation
The capybara is an internet sensation. Someone even wrote and released a song about them and it blew up on TikTok. Other animals have also been caught in the spotlight, such as cats and, more recently, axolotls. This attention has increased the capybara’s popularity, leading people to think they might make good pets. But they don’t. They are cute but they should not be kept as pets. Capybaras are naturally found in the northern and central parts of South America.
2. Who cares?
Capybaras have weird facial expressions. They always seem to look unfazed, partly because of the placement of their eyelids and partly because of their apparent carefree attitude. Capybaras can live harmoniously with most other animals. They will even allow smaller animals to lie on them, and they even get along with alligators – they seem fearless.
3. Big boy
Capybaras are the largest known rodent species. They can grow up to 1.3m and weigh as much as 79kg! You can’t just pick them up! At least rats aren’t that big. For reference, a capybara is as big as a German Shepherd Dog.
4. Water babies
Capybaras love to be in the water. They are often found in or near freshwater sources, and they have webbed feet and sharp claws; they are equipped for life on land and in the water. Capybaras can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes and sometimes even sleep in the water. They don’t have waterproof coats, like otters, because it’s not essential for their survival. These cute creatures feed on vegetation growing along riverbanks.
5. Run, Capybara, run!
Capybaras look chubby, and we therefore might assume they can’t run very fast or outrun too many other animals. However, they can run as fast as a horse – up to 35km/h. That is faster than some breeds of dog.
6. Ever-growing teeth
As part of the rodent family, capybaras’ teeth never stop growing – at least their incisors don’t. To prevent their teeth from growing too long, capybaras gnaw on roots and other plants to wear down their teeth.
7. Social animals
Capybaras are extremely social animals. They live in groups called herds, which can range from 10-20 capybaras, with some herds having as many as 100 members. They don’t only get along well with other capybaras but also with other species, like birds, ducks and deer.
