Difference between revisions of "Capybara" - New World Encyclopedia

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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''' (scientific name ''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris''<ref name="UMichigan">[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Hydrochoerus_hydrochaeris.html University of Michigan ''Animal Diversity Web: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (capybara)'']</ref>, known as '''carpincho''' in [[Spanish]] and '''capivara''' in [[Portuguese]]<ref name="Jungle">[http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Jungle Photos ''Capybara Natural History'']</ref>) is the largest [[rodent]] still in existence in the world, related to [[guinea pigs]], [[agouti]], [[nutria|coyphillas]] and [[chinchillas]].<ref name="Chester">[http://www.chesterzoo.org/animals.asp?ID=36 Chester Zoo (UK) ''Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)'']</ref> Its [[common]] [[name]], derived from ''Kapiÿva'' in the Guarani Indian [[language]],<ref name="Jungle">[http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Jungle Photos ''Capybara Natural History'']</ref> means "[[Master]] of the [[Grass]]es"<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref> while its [[scientific name]], ''hydrochaeris'', is [[Latin]] for "[[water]] [[hog]]."<ref name="Chester">[http://www.chesterzoo.org/animals.asp?ID=36 Chester Zoo (UK) ''Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)
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'']</ref> 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. [[Adult]] Capybaras may [[grow]] as [[long]] as four feet and 1.6 feet tall, [[weigh]]ing up to 145 pounds.<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref><ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref><ref name="Britannica">The Encyclopædia Britannica (1910) ''Capybara'' (from Google Books)</ref> Capybaras have slightly [[webb]]ed [[feet]] and no [[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]].<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref> Capybaras have a total of 20 [[teeth]].<ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref> [[Female]]s are slightly heavier than [[males]].<ref name="Chester">[http://www.chesterzoo.org/animals.asp?ID=36 Chester Zoo (UK) ''Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)'']</ref>
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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 [[grizzly bear]]).<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref><ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref>
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== Development ==
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Capybara reaches [[sexual maturity]] within 18 [[month]]s 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. Capybara [[gestation]] is 130-150 days and usually produces a [[litter]] of four capybara babies, but may produce between two and eight in a single litter.<ref name="Britannica">The Encyclopædia Britannica (1910) ''Capybara'' (from Google Books)</ref> [[Birth]] is on [[land]] and the female will rejoin the group within a few [[hour]]s 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.<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref><ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref> The [[rain]]y season of [[April]] and [[May]] mark the peak breeding [[season]].<ref name="Jungle">[http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Jungle Photos ''Capybara Natural History'']</ref>  Like other rodents, the front teeth of Capybaras grow continually to compensate for the [[constant]] wearing-down of eating grasses.<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>
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When fully grown, a capybara will have coarse [[hair]] that is [[sparse]]ly spread over their [[skin]], making the capybara prone to [[sunburn]]. To prevent this, they may [[roll]] in [[mud]] to [[protect]] their skin from the [[sun]].<ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref>
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== Habitat ==
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Capybara are found [[wild]] in much of [[South America]] (including [[Panama]], Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, [[Argentina]], [[French Guyana]], [[Uruguay]], [[Peru]], and [[Paraguay]]<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>) in densely [[forest]]ed areas near bodies of [[water]], such as [[lake]]s, [[river]]s, [[swamp]]s, [[pond]]s and [[marsh]]es,<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref><ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref> such as [[flood]]ed [[savannah]] and along rivers in [[tropic]]al forest.<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref> They [[roam]] in home [[range]]s of 25-50 [[acre]]s.<ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref>
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== Diet ==
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Capybara is a [[herbivore]] (more [[specific]]ally, a [[graminivore]]<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>), grazing mainly on grasses and [[aquatic plants]],<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref> as well as [[fruits]] and [[tree]] [[bark]].<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara [[exhibit]] marker'']])</ref> An adult capybara will eat six to eight pounds of grasses per day.<ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref>
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[[Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-58) 2560x1600.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Capybara [[lounge|lounging]] in a [[shallow]] [[pool]] at the [[Hattiesburg Zoo]] in [[Hattiesburg, MS|Hattiesburg]], [[Mississippi]].]]
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== Behavior ==
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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),<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref> controlled by a dominant male<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref> (who will have a prominent [[scent]] [[gland]] on his nose<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref> used for [[smear]]ing his scent on the grasses in his territory<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>). They [[communicate]] through a [[combination]] of scent and [[sound]], being very [[vocal]] animals with [[purr]]s and [[alarm]] [[bark]]s,<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref> [[whistle]]s and [[click]]s, squeals and [[grunt]]s.<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>
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Capybaras are excellent [[swim]]mers<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref> and can [[survive]] completely [[underwater]] for up to five minutes,<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref> an [[ability]] they will use to [[evade]] [[predators]].<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref> If necessary, a Capybara can [[sleep]] underwater, keeping its nose just at the [[waterline]].<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref>
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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 [[afternoon]]s and early [[evening]]s. They sleep little, usually dozing off and on throughout the day and grazing into and through the [[night]].<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref>
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== Conservation ==
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Capybara are not on the [[IUCN]] list <ref name="Chester">[http://www.chesterzoo.org/animals.asp?ID=36 Chester Zoo (UK) ''Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)'']</ref> and thusly 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.<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref><ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref> They have a [[lifespan]] of 4-8 years in the wild<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref> but average a life less than four years as they are "a favourite [[food]] of [[anacondas]], [[jaguar]], [[puma]], [[ocelot]], [[eagle]] and [[caiman]]."<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>
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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]]. In some areas they are [[farming|farmed]], which has the effect of insuring that the [[wetland]] [[habitats]] are [[protected]]. Their [[survival]] is aided by their ability to breed rapidly.<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>
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== Captivity ==
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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]].<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/594.shtml British Broadcasting Network ''Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)'']</ref><ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref>
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=== Where to find ===
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[[Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Capybara exhibit marker at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hattiesburg has two Capybara in a fenced Capybara exhibit area.]]
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* Three capybaras live at the [[Smithsonian]] Zoological Park's [[elephant]] [[house]] (as of 09/2006).<ref name="Smithsonian">[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/capybarafacts.cfm Smithsonian National Zoological Park, ''Capybara facts'']</ref>
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* Two capybaras live at the [[Hattiesburg Zoo]] in [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi]] (as of 09/2007).<ref name="Hattiesburg">Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ([[:Image:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg|''Capybara exhibit marker'']])</ref>
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* Two capybara live at Hovatter's Zoo in [[Kingwood, WV|Kingwood]], [[West Virginia]] (as of 09/2007).
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* Two capybaras live at the [http://www.yorkzoo.com/ York's Wild Kingdom] in [[York, Maine]] (as of 09/2007).
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* At least one capybara lives at the [[Montreal Biodome|Biodome du Montreal (Montreal Biodome)]], in [[Montreal, Quebec]] (as of 09/2007).
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* At least one capybara lives at the [[Prague]] Zoological Garden (as of 09/2006).
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* At least one capybara lives at the Henry Vilas Zoo in [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], [[Wisconsin]] (as of 09/2004).
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* At least one capybara lives at the Burgers Zoo in the [[Netherlands]] (as of 05/2007).
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* At least one capybara lives at the Grande Zoo in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] (as of 05/2007).
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* At least one capybara lives at the Bristol Zoo in [[Bristol, England|Bristol]], [[England]] (as of 12/2005).
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* At least five capybaras lives at the Zoo Schönbrunn in [[Vienna]] (as of 2005).
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* At least one capybara lives at the Kolmården Zoo in [[Sweden]] (as of 2005).
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== Human interactions ==
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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 gentle animals and will usually allow humans to [[pet]] and hand-feed them. Capybara skin is tough, and thus in some areas where capybaras are wild, they are hunted for meat and their skin, which is turned into a high-quality leather,<ref name="Bristol">[http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/learning/animals/mammals/capybara Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) ''Capybara'']</ref> while some [[rancher]]s hunt them for [[fear]] of the competition for grazing. The meat is said to both look and taste like [[pork]].<ref name="Jungle">[http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Jungle Photos ''Capybara Natural History'']</ref> The Capybara meat is dried and salted, then shredded and seasoned.<ref name=NWF>[http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=80&articleID=1189 National Wildlife Federation ''The Ranchers' Favorite Rodent'' by Michael Lipske (Feb/Mar 2006, vol. 44 no. 2)]</ref> Considered a [[delicacy]], it is often served with [[rice]] and [[plantains]].<ref name="NYSun">[http://www.nysun.com/article/11063 New York Sun ''In Days Before Easter, Venezuelans Tuck Into Rodent-Related Delicacy'' by Brian Ellsworth (March 24, 2005)]</ref>
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During the [[Catholic]] [[celebration]] of [[Lent]], capybara meat is especially popular as the [[church]] [[classify|classified]] the animal as a [[fish]] in the [[16th century]] (and has never reversed this erroneous classification).<ref name="rebsig-questionable-resource">[http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyfacts.htm ''Capybara fact sheet'']</ref><ref name="Jungle">[http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/ammammals/capybaranathist.shtml Jungle Photos ''Capybara Natural History'']</ref><ref name=NWF>[http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=80&articleID=1189 National Wildlife Federation ''The Ranchers' Favorite Rodent'' by Michael Lipske (Feb/Mar 2006, vol. 44 no. 2)]</ref><ref name="answers">[http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/153905 AnswerBag ''Why can't you eat meat on Friday's during Lent?''] Answer 8 of 10 (very well-written and appears researched)</ref><ref name="NYSun">[http://www.nysun.com/article/11063 New York Sun ''In Days Before Easter, Venezuelans Tuck Into Rodent-Related Delicacy'' by Brian Ellsworth (March 24, 2005)]</ref>
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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. (September 2006)
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Image:Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris.jpg|Capybara at the Prague Zoological Garden (September 2006)
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Image:Male capybara.jpg|Capybara at the Prague Zoological Garden (September 2006)
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Image:Kapybara1.jpg|Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia (August 2003)
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Image:Kapybara2.jpg|Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia (August 2003)
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Image:Henry Vilas Zoo IMG 2404.jpg|Capybara at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin (September 2004)
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Image:Capybara01.jpg|Capybara: ''Frontalansicht eines Wasserschweins'' (February 2004)
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Image:Carpincho (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) Iberá.jpg|Swimming capybara at Iberá Marshes in Corrientes, Argentina (August 2002)
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Image:Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris - Capybara BZ ies.jpg|Capybara at Burgers Zoo, The Netherlands (May 2007)
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Image:CapybaraRioGrandeZoo.JPG|Capybara from the Rio Grande Zoo in AlbuquerqueNew Mexico (May 2007)
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Image:bristol.zoo.capybara.arp.jpg|Capybara at the Bristol Zoo in Bristol, England (December 2005)
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Image:Wet-capyvara-in-Brazil.jpg|Soaking-wet capybara in Brazil (September 2006)
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Image:Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris.jpg|Capybara at Kolmården Zoo in Sweden (2005)
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Image:Capybara with young.jpg|Capybara with young at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna (2005)
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Image:Young capybaras.jpg|Young Capybaras at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna (2005)
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Image:Wasserschwein.jpg|Capybara resting (March 2005)
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</gallery></CENTER>
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{{-}}
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== See also ==
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{{commons}}
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* [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara%26hl%3Den German Language Wikipedia article on Capybara, mechanically translated into English by Google]
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* [[Neochoerus pinckneyi]], an extinct relative of Capybara.
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== External links ==
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* [http://images.google.com/images?q=Capybara Capybara images at Google Images]
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* [http://www.expertrating.com/quizzes/Capybara-Quiz.asp Capybara quiz at ExpertRating]
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== References ==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Life sciences]]
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[[Category:Animals]]
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[[Category:Mammals]]
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{{credit|Capybara|160411150}}

Revision as of 11:40, 26 September 2007


Capybara
Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-42) 2560x1600.jpg
Conservation status
Status iucn3.1 LC.svg
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Family: Caviidae
Subfamily: Hydrochoerinae
Genus: Hydrochoerus
Species: H. hydrochaeris
Binomial name
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Capybara range
Capybara range

Capybara (scientific name Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris[1], known as carpincho in Spanish and capivara in Portuguese[2]) is the largest rodent still in existence in the world, related to guinea pigs, agouti, coyphillas and chinchillas.[3] Its common name, derived from Kapiÿva in the Guarani Indian language,[2] means "Master of the Grasses"[4] while its scientific name, hydrochaeris, is Latin for "water hog."[3] Capybaras have heavy, barrel-shaped bodies and short heads with reddish-brown fur on the upper part of their body that turns yellowish-brown underneath. Adult Capybaras may grow as long as four feet and 1.6 feet tall, weighing up to 145 pounds.[5][6][7] Capybaras have slightly webbed feet and no tail; their back legs are slightly longer than their front legs and their muzzles are blunt with eyes, nostrils, and ears on the dorsal (top) of their head.[8] Capybaras have a total of 20 teeth.[9] Females are slightly heavier than males.[3]

Though now extinct, there once existed even larger capybaras that were eight times the size of modern capybaras (these rodents would have been larger than a grizzly bear).[8][9]

Development

Capybara reaches 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. Capybara gestation is 130-150 days and usually produces a litter of four capybara babies, but may produce between two and eight in a single litter.[7] 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.[8][4] The rainy season of April and May mark the peak breeding season.[2] Like other rodents, the front teeth of Capybaras grow continually to compensate for the constant wearing-down of eating grasses.[4]

When fully grown, a capybara will have coarse hair that is sparsely spread over their skin, making the capybara prone to sunburn. To prevent this, they may roll in mud to protect their skin from the sun.[9]

Habitat

Capybara are found wild in much of South America (including Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, French Guyana, Uruguay, Peru, and Paraguay[4]) in densely forested areas near bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds and marshes,[5][6] such as flooded savannah and along rivers in tropical forest.[8] They roam in home ranges of 25-50 acres.[9]

Diet

Capybara is a herbivore (more specifically, a graminivore[4]), grazing mainly on grasses and aquatic plants,[5] as well as fruits and tree bark.[6] An adult capybara will eat six to eight pounds of grasses per day.[9]

Capybara lounging in a shallow pool at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Behavior

Capybaras are social animals, usually found in groups, between 10 and 30 (though looser groups of up to 100 sometimes can be formed),[8] controlled by a dominant male[5] (who will have a prominent scent gland on his nose[8] used for smearing his scent on the grasses in his territory[4]). They communicate through a combination of scent and sound, being very vocal animals with purrs and alarm barks,[8] whistles and clicks, squeals and grunts.[4]

Capybaras are excellent swimmers[6] and can survive completely underwater for up to five minutes,[5] an ability they will use to evade predators.[6] If necessary, a Capybara can sleep underwater, keeping its nose just at the waterline.[6]

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 temperatures 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.[8]

Conservation

Capybara are not on the IUCN list [3] and thusly 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.[4][5] They have a lifespan of 4-8 years in the wild[6] but average a life less than four years as they are "a favourite food of anacondas, jaguar, puma, ocelot, eagle and caiman."[4]

Capybaras are hunted for their meat and skins in some areas, and otherwise killed by humans who see their grazing as competition for livestock. In some areas they are farmed, which has the effect of insuring that the wetland habitats are protected. Their survival is aided by their ability to breed rapidly.[4]

Captivity

Capybaras can be found in many areas in zoos and parks, sometimes allowed to roam freely and may live for 12 years in captivity.[8][4]

Where to find

File:Capybara Hattiesburg Zoo (70909b-49) 1280x800.jpg
Capybara exhibit marker at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hattiesburg has two Capybara in a fenced Capybara exhibit area.
  • Three capybaras live at the Smithsonian Zoological Park's elephant house (as of 09/2006).[5]
  • Two capybaras live at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (as of 09/2007).[6]
  • Two capybara live at Hovatter's Zoo in Kingwood, West Virginia (as of 09/2007).
  • Two capybaras live at the York's Wild Kingdom in York, Maine (as of 09/2007).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Biodome du Montreal (Montreal Biodome), in Montreal, Quebec (as of 09/2007).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Prague Zoological Garden (as of 09/2006).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin (as of 09/2004).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Burgers Zoo in the Netherlands (as of 05/2007).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Grande Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico (as of 05/2007).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Bristol Zoo in Bristol, England (as of 12/2005).
  • At least five capybaras lives at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna (as of 2005).
  • At least one capybara lives at the Kolmården Zoo in Sweden (as of 2005).

Human interactions

Capy relaxing in his water pool at the Hattiesburg (Mississippi) Zoo.

Capybaras are gentle animals and will usually allow humans to pet and hand-feed them. Capybara skin is tough, and thus in some areas where capybaras are wild, they are hunted for meat and their skin, which is turned into a high-quality leather,[4] while some ranchers hunt them for fear of the competition for grazing. The meat is said to both look and taste like pork.[2] The Capybara meat is dried and salted, then shredded and seasoned.[10] Considered a delicacy, it is often served with rice and plantains.[11]

During the Catholic celebration of Lent, capybara meat is especially popular as the church classified the animal as a fish in the 16th century (and has never reversed this erroneous classification).[9][2][10][12][11]


Gallery

  • Capybara at The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (September 2006)

  • Capybara at the Prague Zoological Garden (September 2006)

  • Male capybara.jpg

    Capybara at the Prague Zoological Garden (September 2006)

  • Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia (August 2003)

  • Capybara near Rurenabaque in Bolivia (August 2003)

  • Capybara at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin (September 2004)

  • Capybara: Frontalansicht eines Wasserschweins (February 2004)

  • Swimming capybara at Iberá Marshes in Corrientes, Argentina (August 2002)

  • Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris - Capybara BZ ies.jpg

    Capybara at Burgers Zoo, The Netherlands (May 2007)

  • Capybara from the Rio Grande Zoo in AlbuquerqueNew Mexico (May 2007)

  • Capybara at the Bristol Zoo in Bristol, England (December 2005)

  • Wet-capyvara-in-Brazil.jpg

    Soaking-wet capybara in Brazil (September 2006)

  • Capybara at Kolmården Zoo in Sweden (2005)

  • Capybara with young at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna (2005)

  • Young Capybaras at the Zoo Schönbrunn in Vienna (2005)

  • Capybara resting (March 2005)


See also

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External links

References
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  1. ↑ University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (capybara)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Jungle Photos Capybara Natural History
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Chester Zoo (UK) Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Chester" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Chester" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Chester" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 Bristol Zoo Gardens (UK) Capybara
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Capybara facts
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Hattiesburg Zoo, Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Capybara exhibit marker) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Hattiesburg" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Encyclopædia Britannica (1910) Capybara (from Google Books)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 British Broadcasting Network Science and Nature: Animals (Capybara)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Capybara fact sheet
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 National Wildlife Federation The Ranchers' Favorite Rodent by Michael Lipske (Feb/Mar 2006, vol. 44 no. 2)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 New York Sun In Days Before Easter, Venezuelans Tuck Into Rodent-Related Delicacy by Brian Ellsworth (March 24, 2005)
  12. ↑ AnswerBag Why can't you eat meat on Friday's during Lent? Answer 8 of 10 (very well-written and appears researched)

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