The capybara, also known as the capybara, is a semi-aquatic herbivorous mammal of the capybara family (Hydrochoeridae). It is also the largest rodent today.
Rodent description
The body length of adults is 1-1.35 m, the height is from 50 to 60 cm. The weight of males is 34-63 kg, of females - 36-66 kg. Outwardly, the capybara looks like a giant big-headed one. She has a large head with a wide, blunt muzzle, and a thick upper lip. The ears are short, rounded. The nostrils are set wide. The eyes are small, located high on the head and somewhat behind. The tail is practically absent. Paws are short, on the front - four toes, on the hind legs - three each with short strong claws. The toes of the capybara are connected by swimming membranes. The surface of the body is covered with long and stiff hairs, from 30 to 120 mm long, there is no undercoat. Above, the body of the capybara is colored from reddish-brown to grayish tone, the tummy is usually yellowish-brown in color. Young individuals are lighter in color than adults. In adult males, there is a patch of skin on top of the muzzle with a large number of large sebaceous glands. Females have six pairs of abdominal nipples on their tummy.
The capybara, as a herbivore, feeds on a variety of fruits and tubers, hay and grass, and aquatic plants.
Capybara is distributed along the shores of various water bodies, mainly in the tropical and temperate climates of Central and South America. Found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, French Guiana. It also lives near the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata rivers. In the mountains, capybaras are common at altitudes up to 1300 m above sea level.
The Little Capybara lives in the area from the north of Panama to Colombia and the northwest of Venezuela.
Common types of capybaras
Today the genus capybara includes 4 species, of which 2 are extinct:
The main manifestation of sexual dimorphism in capybaras is that females are usually larger than males. Otherwise, their appearance is the same.
Capybaras lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle, these animals do not leave the water more than 500-1000 m. The distribution of the species is associated with changes in the water level depending on the season. So, during the rainy season, capybaras widely disperse over the territory inhabited by them, in the dry season, on the contrary, they concentrate along the banks of large rivers and other bodies of water. In search of water and food, capybaras are able to travel very long distances.
The period of highest activity for the capybara is the day, in cases when they are disturbed by humans and predators, rodents switch to nocturnal lifestyle.
Capybara can swim and dive well. The eyes on the head of the animal are set high, as are the ears and nostrils, which allows the capybara to leave them above the water while swimming.
Capybaras are social animals, they usually live in groups of 10-20 individuals. Each group consists of a dominant male, adult females, toddlers, and subordinate males who are on the periphery of the group. About 10% of male capybaras are solitary. The dominant male can expel other competing males from his group. In arid areas, large groups of capybaras gather, and up to several hundred animals sometimes gather around reservoirs during a drought. On average, a herd of capybaras lives on an area of about 10 hectares, but, mainly, they concentrate on an area of less than 1 hectare. This main area of the capybara is labeled with secretions from the nasal and anal glands. There are conflicts between the permanent inhabitants of the territory and strangers.
Capybaras communicate with each other using whistles, clicking and barking sounds, and smells of the secrets of the olfactory glands, which are located on the muzzles of males.
Capybaras breed throughout the year, but most mating occurs at the onset of the rainy season (eg April-May in Venezuela, October-November in Mato Grosso, Brazil). During the breeding season, males mark the plants with a special secret that attracts females.
Mating in capybaras takes place in water. Pregnancy lasts about 150 days and ends in September-November. Childbirth takes place away from shelters, right on the ground. In one brood there are 2-8 babies, they are born with hair, open eyes and erupted teeth. The weight of the cubs reaches 1.5 kg. All females of the group look after newborns. And almost immediately after birth, they already follow their mother and begin to feed on grass. Milk feeding lasts until 3-4 months of age. Under favorable conditions, female capybaras produce 2-3 litters.
Young capybaras reach sexual maturity at the age of 15-18 months, at this moment their weight is 30-40 kg.
Natural enemies
Natural enemies of capybaras are wild dogs, crocodile caimans, alligators, Orinox crocodiles, jaguars, ocelots, anacondas. Animals hide from ground predators under water, while they breathe through the nostrils that remain above the surface.
Capybara cubs are hunted by the Uruba vulture (Coragyps atratus), other birds of prey, and wild dogs.
This animal is the largest among rodents. Outwardly it looks like a guinea pig. Have capybara large head, short ears, small eyes. Cheek teeth do not stop growing, and there are 20 teeth in total. The limbs are short. There is a swimming membrane between the toes. The tail is there, but invisible. They have a long and hard hairline and a brown color. They can hold their breath for 5 minutes.
About 300 years ago, Catholic priests attributed capybaras to fish, only because these animals loved water. It is an extremely lazy animal.
Habitat: temperate rainforests of America
Dimensions (edit):
Length - 1 - 1.3 meters
Weight - 35 - 65 kilograms
Height - 55 - 65 centimeters
Lifestyle:
Lives both on land and in water. It can move away from the coast, but not more than 1 kilometer. Most often, capybaras are active during the day, but can switch to nocturnal lifestyle if there is a threat from predators. Due to the high position of the organs of sight, hearing and smell during swimming, the capybara can keep them above the water. In the heat, capybaras are smeared with mud so that their skin does not burn. Can choose a place to settle next to a person in order to steal crops from the fields. Does not build itself any nests or beds.
Nutrition:
1. In the wild, it feeds on algae, fruits, grass.
2. In zoos, capybaras are fed vitamins, vegetables and food for rodents.
At home, rodents of this species can be given vegetables, grass, hay, fruits and very rarely "food from the table."
Capybaras for food try to choose plants rich in protein, because their digestive system assimilates many nutrients.
Flock:
Usually there are about 10 - 20 capybaras in a flock. These animals are subject to a strict order. Each group has one main male, several females, their cubs and subordinate males. Only about 7% of these animals (necessarily males) live alone. The size of the territory occupied by one herd can reach 10 hectares. Communication between individuals takes place using a whistle. Each group has its own territory. Fights often arise between the capybaras-leaders.
Reproduction:
Capybaras can mate at any time of the year. Reproduction takes place in water. Females go pregnant for about 150 days. Cubs are born on land. The average weight of newborns is 1.5 kilograms. One female can lead to a flock from 2 to 6 cubs that do not need care. Many females take care not only of their own, but also of other people's "babies". From the very birth, little capybaras can feed on grass and fruits, but the mother feeds them for another 15 - 16 weeks. Animals that have reached 17 months of age are considered adults.
Enemies:
- The enemies of capybaras are: (on land), anacondas and caimans (in water).
If you want a capybara ...
The market value of one individual can range from 100 to 120 thousand. Keep in mind that if you are going to start a capybara, then your home will be the best solution. These animals need space and a large enough pool to dive and swim to their fullest.
Capybaras Are quite cute animals. They can make friends with the rest of the inhabitants of the house and do not show excessive aggression. But you need to know that the first signs of anger are dog-like barking. Capybaras live in captivity for about 12 years.
Video about Capybara at home
The capybara capybara is a very interesting animal. This is the largest rodent on earth! Although for many this animal is a real "dark horse" - few have heard of it and know what it looks like.
Capybara. Let's get to know each other!
Among all the variety of animals, it is difficult not to notice rodents: these little animals are so charming that many people love them and keep them at home. But not all rodents are so small. The "giant" among rodents is the capybara, or capybara. This is an interesting living creature of the capybara family (except for her, there is not a single genus and species in this family).
Capybara capybara appearance
Capybara, having a length of up to 1.5 m and a weight of 40-60 kg, looks like a giant guinea pig. The capybara, like the sea pig, has a large and broad head and a stocky body. Even the number of toes on their paws is the same: on the front legs there are four, and on the hind legs - three fingers. The capybara has swimming membranes on its paws.
Sharp incisors and thick coarse hair, small ears and a short tail ... It is difficult to confuse a capybara with another animal. The capybara has won the hearts of many people around the world with its appearance and size, which is not characteristic of any of the rodents living on Earth.
The habitat of the capybara
The habitat of the capybara covers a significant part of the territory of South America. These rodents live in the northeast of the mainland - in Panama, from Colombia to Uruguay, in Argentina.
Rainforests are ideal for capybaras. The capybara can be found in other places as well - in meadows, tropical savannas and bush forests. Interestingly, capybaras always live close (no more than a kilometer) from the water.
What does the capybara eat?
I wonder what the capybara eats? As a rodent, the capybara feeds exclusively on plant foods - grass, grains, fruits and vegetables. They sometimes eat some aquatic plants. But in zoos they are fed differently - with huge granules for rodents, vitamin complexes, vegetables.
Reproduction and pregnancy of the capybara
Capybaras cannot live alone (except for males who have not found a mate). They live in groups of 10-15 rodents. Usually the male is in the lead in the group, several females and their children live with him. They communicate with the help of a whistle, vaguely reminiscent of the grunt of a pig.
Capybaras are able to mate at any time of the year, but most often this happens in the spring or fall. Since capybaras are semi-aquatic rodents, they also mate in water. Pregnancy lasts about one hundred and fifty days.
Born rodents (usually about 4-6 pieces) are born completely ready for life, and not helpless. From birth, capybara cubs have hair, open eyes, and teeth in full. In addition, little capybaras can immediately feed on grass and grain, but the mother continues to feed them for a long time - up to 16 weeks. Surprisingly, all the capybaras in the group treat the cubs well. Moreover, each female helps the mother to raise and feed the cubs.
Capybara features
Capybaras have many features not found in other animals. For example, they try to eat only protein-rich plants. What's the matter? And it's all about the amazing digestive system of the capybara. Thanks to it, the animal assimilates a large amount of nutrients, enzymes and minerals. By the way, the capybara eats the grass, first as if cutting it off with a razor - her teeth are so sharp.
Earlier it was written that a capybara cannot live without water. In addition, the capybara is an excellent swimmer. Her whole body seems to be made for swimming. For example, the location of the eyes and nostrils allows the rodent to safely swim underwater for a very long time. If necessary, the capybara can easily swim underwater, immersed in it entirely.
Who can harm the capybara? Enemies in nature
Almost every animal in nature has enemies. Alas, the capybara is no exception to this rule. Whom are capybaras afraid of?
Predators are the main enemies of all rodents, including capybaras. At the same time, they can overtake the animal both in water and on land: in the water environment, the main enemies of the capybara are crocodiles, for example, caimans or alligators, and in the land
The animal capybara, or as this animal is also called, the capybara, is a herbivorous mammal leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Outwardly, capybaras resemble guinea pigs, but much larger in size.
Description
The capybara is the largest living rodent on the planet today. An adult animal reaches the size of a large dog. The capybara reaches 60 cm at the withers, and its body can be from 100 to 135 cm in length. The weight of adult males ranges from 30 to 63 kg, and of females - from 36 to 67 kg. The largest capybara weighed 70 kg.
The animals are large and look well-fed. Outwardly they resemble a guinea pig. The head is massive, the ears and eyes are small. The paws are short, while the front ones are longer than the hind ones. On the front legs there are four toes with swimming membranes, on the hind legs - 3.
The hair of the capybara is tough, a bit like a beaver skin. The hairs are brown, 3 to 12 cm long. The tail is short. Capybara was also described by Gerald Darrell, who pointed out that the animals are phlegmatic and good-natured.
Habitat
Capybara lives in the tropical and temperate forests of Central and South America. This cute animal is called capybara for a reason. For normal life, reservoirs are simply necessary for them. Animals settle along the banks of rivers, lakes, ponds. They can be found in the Amazon, Orinoco and La Plata basins.
Lifestyle
Capybaras cannot live far from water. During the dry season, they flock to the shores of large reservoirs in hundreds, in the rainy season they are scattered over the area. In search of food and water, animals can travel considerable distances.
Capybaras don't just live on the shores. They thrive in a river or lake and are excellent swimmers. Their eyes and nostrils are positioned so that liquid does not enter them. And if the capybara notices danger, it can simply dive in and hide in the water. The animal does not hold its breath, its nostrils remain on the surface.
The capybara can also defend itself from predators with the help of its powerful large incisors. Capybaras are hunted by both aquatic and terrestrial predators - jaguars, ocelots, anacondas, caimans, crocodiles. Small pigs should also be wary of large birds of prey.
Nutrition
What does a capybara eat? The mammal is herbivore and eats a variety of plant foods. The animals prowl in shallow water, looking for tasty herbs growing on the shore. Since the ears, nostrils and eyes are located at the top of the head, the capybara can wander in shallow water, almost completely submerged. It is almost impossible to notice a group of grazing animals from the shore because of the low grass.
The capybara is a predominantly diurnal rodent. The animals feed in the morning, evening or at night. On a hot afternoon, they rest. However, if the animals are often disturbed by people and terrorized by predators, they can switch to a nocturnal lifestyle completely.
The capybara animal feeds on grass, aquatic plants, tubers, vegetables and various fruits. The rodent cuts the plants with its incisors and chews with the indigenous ones. The teeth of the capybara are large and yellow. They grow all their lives.
Social connections
Capybaras live in large families, 10-20 adults each. During a drought, they can congregate on the banks of large water bodies in large groups of more than a hundred individuals. The capybara family is headed by a dominant male and several females, as well as cubs and subordinate males. It so happens that a high-ranking male drives out male competitors, and they are forced to live alone. Capybaras actively communicate with each other using various sounds, reminiscent of barking, clicks, whistling.
Reproduction
The capybara animal becomes sexually mature at 15-18 months. Mammals can mate throughout the year, but the breeding season usually occurs at the beginning of the rainy season. The pregnancy of the female proceeds quickly. Babies are born after 150 days. The female can give birth to up to 8 cubs.
The babies weigh about 1.5 kg. They are born independent, covered with wool. Their eyes are already open, their teeth are cut. Small capybaras feed on breast milk for another 3-4 months, after which they begin to feed on their own. Usually the female brings one litter, but in good conditions she can give birth 2-3 times a year.
Farms
The capybara animal is bred on farms in Venezuela. Their meat is used for food and tastes like pork. The skin of animals is also used, and their subcutaneous fat is used in pharmaceuticals.
Since capybaras live in wetlands, breeding is seasonal. In the rainy season, they disperse over a vast territory and multiply, and in the dry season they gather in a limited area, where part of the herd is taken for slaughter.
Recently, such an animal as the capybara has become popular. Photos of these cute animals are spreading over the network. Many people dream of having such a charming pet for themselves. And this is quite possible if you live in a tropical climate.
A capybara, whose photo cannot leave you indifferent, can really become an excellent companion. The animals are completely non-aggressive, affectionate, trusting, quickly become attached to humans and are capable of learning. Some gifted individuals can be trained in various tricks and commands.
Capybaras are clean. They can be walked on a leash like dogs. In captivity, animals can live up to 12 years. A capybara needs a large aviary with a pond. A shade is required, in which the animal can hide from the sun. They feed the capybara with granules for rodents, hay, aquatic plants, grass, vegetables. They also need branches of shrubs and trees to grind their teeth against.
Here are some interesting facts about capybaras.
- Capybara is the only species in the Hydrochoeridae family. However, some scientists distinguish a separate dwarf species of mammals, significantly inferior to ordinary capybaras in size.
- The capybara is recognized as the largest living rodent in the world at the moment. But the distant ancestors of rodents were the size of a modern bear.
- In the language of the Guarani Indians, the animals are called kapiyuwa, which means "master of herbs."
- During the time of the conquistadors, the Pope announced that capybaras are fish, as they spend most of their time in the water. Such a decree made it possible to eat rodent meat even during fasting.
- In many countries, capybaras are hunted as they are believed to harm agriculture. In fact, rodents feed mainly on aquatic and marsh plants.
Capybaras are peaceful and friendly mammals with good looks and interesting behavior. Thanks to their sociability and good nature, they can become pets.
Far across the ocean, in hot Venezuela, an amazing animal lives. It swims like an anaconda, toothy like an alligator and a crocodile, with a shiny coat like an otter. Who can guess what kind of animal it is? Correct answer - capybara, but in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, probably, few have heard of such an exotic creation.
The capybara is also called the capybara, and what is most interesting, many people settle this rodent at their place. Here is such an unusual alternative to praying mantises, hamsters, newts, rats and guinea pigs. True, keeping such an animal in an apartment will be very problematic, because capybara weight about 65 kg, and the height is the same as that of an adult sheep. She just loves water, and her whole body is covered with a special water-repellent fur. And here are a couple of other features of the capybara: long front teeth, like a rabbit, and the ability to bark like a dog.
Scientists consider the capybara to be the largest rodent. Her whole life is closely connected with various bodies of water. The banks of rivers, swamps, lakes are its usual habitat. These animals are surprisingly dexterous swimmers and love to spend a huge amount of time in the water. Despite the rather large size of the capybara for a pet (body length 1.5 m) and a rather large weight, many lovers of unusual animals still risked settling this rodent. Many people find in him a similarity to a guinea pig thanks to a cute little face, small, neat ears and a movable nose.
"Capybara" is a name coined by the Indians of South America. Translated from their language, it means "the owner of the grass." But scientists, when they stumbled upon this mammal, could not find a name for it, because they had never seen anyone like it. As a result of long deliberation, the researchers named him the capybara and took him to the rodent detachment.
What does a capybara look like?
Everyone who is closely acquainted with the capybara considers her to be a very pretty animal. Its main advantage is a small tail, because often it is this part of the body that kills all a person's love for rodents, such as rats and mice. The pensive, complacent muzzle of the capybara also evokes sympathy. The body of the animal is dense, well-fed, the head is massive. The hind legs are slightly shorter than the front ones, and it seems as if the capybara is constantly doing squats. The front legs of the capybara have four toes, and the hind legs have only three. Between the fingers there are membranes, thanks to which the animal can swim, and it also has rather sharp claws, so climbing a tree is not a problem for a capybara. The real pride of a capybara is a thick, long brown fur coat.
The eyes, nose and ears of the capybara are set high, and therefore, when it bathes in the reservoir, the senses are not submerged under the water. So the rodent can calmly wait out the heat in comfortable conditions.
What a capybara eats in nature and how to feed it at home
The main dishes on the capybara menu are seaweed and grass. This animal never starves or fights with others for food, because it is full not only on the ground, but also under water. This is one of the factors due to which the animals, although they have become much smaller than their ancient ancestors, still survived to this day. Capybara is a happy animal, because it has practically no enemies. The main threat to their quiet life on land is jaguars, in water - caimans and anacondas.
How and where does a capybara live in nature
Capybara is a herd animal... They form groups headed by a male and some females. The rest of the males and a huge number of cubs are "subordinates". Capybaras are very peaceful animals, so there are practically no quarrels in their family. Rights and responsibilities are clearly defined, so the environment is usually calm. The whole company of the animals roam the shores of reservoirs, from time to time stopping to rest. Capybaras sleep not in burrows, but in an open place. During the day, they look for water or dense thickets to hide from the sun, but the evening and morning coolness returns energy and activity to the rodents.
Baby capybaras
A capybara usually has four cubs. Babies are independent from the very beginning, although they continue to feed on mother's milk for another sixteen weeks. From the moment of birth, the capybara cubs already have wool, their eyes can see well and they can calmly follow the herd. The female capybaras are excellent mothers. They are very affectionate not only for their own babies, but also for all the cubs in the herd.
How many capybaras live in the wild and at home
The life span of capybaras, like other rodents, is quite long. In their natural habitat, they live for about 10 years, and in artificial conditions - 12. A phlegmatic disposition and a measured life help them to live to such a respectable age. People could learn from them. Capybara is a peaceful animal, she does not like to fight, and if she notices danger, she immediately runs away and hides. As soon as the danger passes, it grazes again calmly.
How the capybara was hunted and then tamed
For many years, the enemies of the capybara were only forest and aquatic predators. But with the beginning of the colonization of America, people appreciated the warm fur and delicious meat of animals, and opened a real hunt for them. In addition, for a long time, the capybara was considered even a fish, and the colonists with redoubled zeal destroyed the peace-loving animals. Fortunately, people changed their minds in time. It was decided to build special farms and domesticate the capybara.
The conditions on the capybara farms were pleasant. Still: there is plenty of food, spacious reservoirs in which you can swim and dive freely, and even the absence of the usual predators. Thanks to these factors, the capybaras quickly multiplied, not knowing about the sad fate awaiting them.
Pets are capybaras. Care rules
Many people, having seen a capybara once, or even having read about it on the Internet or in a magazine, dream of having such an animal. And that's not a bad idea at all! Really, capybara can bark like a dog, but does not growl and will never bite your guests. She quickly learns and becomes almost a member of the family. This animal shares its calm energy with all the inhabitants of the house, its behavior suppresses aggression, soothes nervous nerves and sets only a good mood. Capybaras can get along well even with dogs and cats.
It is strictly forbidden to plant a capybara in a cage. These freedom-loving animals simply cannot survive in it. Yes, and rather big sizes require appropriate space. Capybaras also need a specific climate, because they are used to living in warmth, so something like a greenhouse combined with an indoor pool will do.
Feeding the capybara is not difficult. Vegetables, fruits, fresh hay - this is their favorite diet. Capybara will not refuse canned food or granules for rodents. The animal will remember the place where the feeder is located very quickly.
The capybara can be walked on a leash like a dog, or you can let her run free. These animals are ideal friends for swimming, and even teachers who will demonstrate the correct diving technique by their own example.
And finally, good news for apartment residents who want to have such an exotic pet: there are dwarf capybara... These animals are similar in size to rabbits (photo of rabbits), but they are much more active.
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