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| − | {{Taxobox | color = pink
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| − | | name = Capybara
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| − | | status = lc
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| − | | image = Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-42) 2560x1600.jpg
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| − | | image_width = 200px
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| − | | regnum = [[Animal]]ia
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| − | | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
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| − | | subphylum = [[Vertebrata]]
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| − | | classis = [[Mammal]]ia
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| − | | ordo = [[Rodent]]ia
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| − | | subordo = [[Hystricomorpha]]
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| − | | familia = [[Caviidae]]
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| − | | subfamilia = [[Hydrochoerinae]]
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| − | | genus = '''''Hydrochoerus'''''
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| − | | species = '''''H. hydrochaeris'''''
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| − | | binomial = ''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris''
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| − | | binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1766)
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| − | | range_map = Capybara-range.png
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| − | | range_map_width = 200px
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| − | | range_map_caption = Capybara range
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| − | }}
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| − | '''Capybara''' is the common name for a large, semi-aquatic [[rodent]], ''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris,'' of Central America and tropical South America, characterized by short legs with partially webbed feet, small ears, a blunt nose, and almost no tail. Known as the '''carpincho''' in [[Spanish]] and '''capivara''' in [[Portuguese]], ''H. hydrochaeris'' is the largest living rodent (order [[Rodentia]]. It belongs to the Caviidae family, which also includes the [[guinea pig]] and [[cavy]].
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| − | The capybara's unique [[adaptation]]s and large size help to make it one of the better known animals in the world. Because its size and superficial appearance, people sometimes are surprised to learn that it is a rodent rather than a relative of the [[pig]]. Remarkably, it has been classified as a [[fish]] in the [[Catholic]] religion, a fact that made it historically popular during times when tradition dictated the eating of fish (Lent, Fridays).
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| − | Capybaras provide value for the [[ecosystem]] as part of [[food chain]]s, converting vegetative matter into forms consumed by predators such as [[jaguar]]s, [[caiman]]s, and [[anaconda]]s. For humans, they have been used as food and as a source of leather, and they add to the human wonder of nature.
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| − | ==Description==
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| − | The capybara is the only living species in its [[genus]], ''Hydrochoerus.'' Its common name, capybara in English and ''capivara'' in Portuguese, derives from ''Kapiÿva'' in the [[Guarani]] Indian [[language]], meaning "Lord of the grass" (JP 2007), perhaps reflecting the fact that [[grass]]es are the favorite food of this rodent (BZ 2007). Its scientific name ''hydrochaeris.'' is [[Latin]] for "water hog" (CZ 2007), reflecting it semi-aquatic existence and its superficial resemblance to a [[pig]]. However, capybaras are [[rodent]]s (Order Rodentia), classified with [[rat]]s, [[mice]], and [[squirrel]]s.
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| − | Capybara are found wild in much of [[South America]] (including [[Panama]], Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, [[Argentina]], [[French Guiana]], [[Uruguay]], [[Peru]], and [[Paraguay]] (BZ 2007). They can be found in densely [[forest]]ed areas near bodies of [[water]], such as [[lake]]s, [[river]]s, [[swamp]]s, [[pond]]s, and [[marsh]]es (NZP 2007), such as [[flood]]ed [[savanna]] and along rivers in [[tropic]]al forest (BBC 2007). The population of capybaras in the Brazilian [[Pantanal]], the world's largest [[wetland]] system, is estimated to approach one half million (Swarts 2000).
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| − | [[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara [[exhibit]] marker'']])
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| − | Capybaras have heavy, [[barrel]]-shaped [[body|bodies]], and [[short]] [[head]]s with [[red]]dish-[[brown]] [[fur]] on the upper part of their body that turns [[yellow]]ish-brown underneath. Capybaras have slightly webbed [[feet]] and only a rudimentary tail; their back [[leg]]s are slightly longer than their front legs and their [[muzzle]]s are [[blunt]] with [[eye]]s, [[nostril]]s, and [[ear]]s on the [[dorsal]] (top) of their head (BBC 2007). Capybaras have a total of 20 [[teeth]]. Like other rodents, the front teeth of capybaras grow continually to compensate for the constant wearing-down of eating grasses (BZ 2007).
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| − | Adult capybaras are the largest extant rodents. They may [[grow]] more than four feet (130 centimeters) long and 50 centimeters tall (1.6 feet), and commonly weigh more than 50 kilograms (110 pounds) (NZP 2007; Magalhaes 1992). [[Female]]s are slightly heavier than [[males]] (CZ 2007).
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| − | Though now [[extinct]], there once existed even larger capybaras that were eight times the size of modern capybaras; these [[rodent]]s would have been larger than a modern day [[grizzly bear]]) (BBC 2007).
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| − | == Life cycle and behavior==
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| − | [[Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-58) 2560x1600.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Capybara lounging in a shallow pool at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, [[Mississippi]].]]
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| − | The capybara is a [[herbivore]] (more [[specific]]ally, a [[graminivore]], grazing mainly on grasses and [[aquatic plants]], as well as [[fruits]] and [[tree]] [[bark]]. Capybaras eat their own [[feces]] in the morning in order to help digest the [[cellulose]] in the grass that forms their normal [[diet]]. During midday, as [[temperature]]s increase, capybaras wallow in water to keep cool and then graze in late afternoons and early evenings. They sleep little, usually dozing off and on throughout the day and grazing into and through the night (BBC 2007).
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| − | Capybaras are excellent swimmers and can [[survive]] completely underwater for up to five minutes (NZP 2007), an ability they will use to evade predators. If necessary, a capybara can [[sleep]] almost submerged, keeping its nose just at the [[waterline]].
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| − | Capybaras have a [[lifespan]] of four to eight years in the wild, but average a life less than four years as they are a favorite prey of [[jaguar]]s, [[anaconda]]s, [[puma]]s, [[ocelot]]s, [[caiman]]s, and [[eagle]]s (BZ 2007).
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| − | Capybaras are [[social]] animals, usually found in groups, between 10 and 30 (though looser groups of up to 100 sometimes can be formed) (BBC 2007). Magalhaes (1992) reports that in the [[Pantanal]], the social groups average between 8 and 16 individuals. They are controlled by a dominant male (NZP 2007), who will have a prominent [[scent]] [[gland]] on his nose (BBC 2007), used for smearing his scent on the grasses in his territory (BZ 2007). Members in a group communicate through a combination of scent and sound, being very [[vocal]] animals with purrs and alarm barks, (BBC 2007), as well as whistles, clicks, squeals, and grunts (BZ 2007).
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| − | Capybaras reach sexual maturity within 18 months and breed when conditions are right, which can be once per [[year]] (such as in [[Brazil]]) or throughout the year (such as in [[Venezuela]] and [[Colombia]]). The male pursues a female and mounts when the female stops in water.
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| − | Capybara [[gestation]] is 130-150 days and usually produces a litter of four capybara babies (Magalhaes 1992). Birth is on land and the female will rejoin the group within a few hours of delivering the newborn capybaras, who will join the group as soon as they are mobile. Within a week the young can eat grass, but will continue to [[suckle]] from any female in the group until weaned at about 16 weeks. Youngsters will form a group within the main group (BBC 2007; BZ 2007).
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| − | == Conservation and human interactions ==
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| − | Capybara are not on the [[IUCN]] list and thus not considered a [[threatened]] species; their [[population]] is stable through most of their South American ranges, though in some areas [[hunting]] has reduced their numbers.
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| − | Capybaras can be found in many areas in [[zoo]]s and [[park]]s, sometimes allowed to roam freely and may live for 12 years in [[captivity]] (BBC 2007; BZ 2007). Capybaras are gentle animals and will usually allow humans to pet and hand-feed them.
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| − | [[Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-48) 640x400.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Capy relaxing in his water pool at the Hattiesburg (Mississippi) Zoo.]]
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| − | Capybaras are hunted for their [[meat]] and skins in some areas, and otherwise killed by [[human]]s who see their grazing as [[competition]] for [[livestock]]. The skins are turned into a high-quality leather. Capybara meat may be dried and salted, then shredded and seasoned (Lipske 2006). Considered a [[delicacy]], it is often served with [[rice]] and [[plantains]] (Ellsworth 20050. In some areas, capybaras are [[farming|farmed]], which has the effect of insuring that the [[wetland]] [[habitat]]s are [[protected]]. Their [[survival]] is aided by their ability to breed rapidly (BZ 2007).
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| − | During the [[Catholic]] observation of [[Lent]], during which consumption of meats and oils are traditionally avoided, capybara meat is especially popular as the [[church]] [[classify|classified]] the animal as a [[fish]] in the sixteenth century, and has never reversed this erroneous classification (Ellsworth 2005; JP 2007).
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| − | {{-}}
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| − | == Gallery ==
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| − | <CENTER><gallery>
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| − | Image:Wahington ZOO capybara.JPG|Capybara at The National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
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| − | Image:Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris.jpg|Capybara at the Prague Zoological Garden
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| − | Image:Kapybara1.jpg|Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia
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| − | Image:Kapybara2.jpg|Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia
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| − | Image:Henry Vilas Zoo IMG 2404.jpg|Capybara at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin
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| − | Image:Capybara01.jpg|Capybara: ''Frontalansicht eines Wasserschweins''
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| − | Image:Carpincho (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) Iberá.jpg|Swimming capybara at Iberá Marshes in Corrientes, Argentina
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| − | Image:CapybaraRioGrandeZoo.JPG|Capybara from the Rio Grande Zoo in AlbuquerqueNew Mexico
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| − | Image:bristol.zoo.capybara.arp.jpg|Capybara at the Bristol Zoo in Bristol, England
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| − | Image:Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris.jpg|Capybara at Kolmården Zoo in Sweden
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| − | Image:Capybara with young.jpg|Capybara with young at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna
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| − | Image:Young capybaras.jpg|Young Capybaras at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna
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| − | Image:Wasserschwein.jpg|Capybara resting
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| − | </gallery></CENTER>
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| − | {{-}}
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| − | == References ==
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| − | * Bristol Zoo (BZ). 2007. [http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Capybara]. ''Bristol Zoo Gardens.'' Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 2007. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml Science and nature: Animals (Capybara)]. ''BBC''. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Chester Zoo (CZ). 2007. [http://www.chesterzoo.org/animals.asp?ID=36 Capybara ''(Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)''. ''Chester Zoo''. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Ellsworth, B. 2005. [http://www.nysun.com/article/11063 In days before easter, Venezuelans tuck into rodent-related delicacy]. ''New York Sun'' March 24, 2005. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Jungle Photos (JP). 2007. [http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Capybara natural history]. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Lipske, M. 2006. [http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=80&articleID=1189 The ranchers' favorite rodent]. ''National Wildlife'' 44(2). Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Magalhães, N. W. de. 1992. ''Conheça o Pantanal'' [Know the Pantanal]. São Paulo: Terragraph.
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| − | * National Zoological Park (NZP). 2007. [http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Capybara facts]. ''Smithsonian National Zoological Park''. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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| − | * Swarts, F. A. 2000. "The Pantanal in the 21st Century: For the planet's largest wetland, an uncertain future." In F. A. Swarts (ed.) ''The Pantanal.'' St. Paul, MN: Paragon House. ISBN 1557787913.
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| − | [[Category:Life sciences]]
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| − | [[Category:Animals]]
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| − | [[Category:Mammals]]
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| − | [[Category:Rodents]]
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| − | {{credit|Capybara|160411150}}
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