Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Animal Class: Mammal

Length: 3.5-4.5 feet long, 20-24 inches tall

Weight: 77-146 pounds

Lifespan: Around 4 years in the wild, but 8-10 years in human care.

Diet: Herbivore, preferring grasses and aquatic plants.

Habitat: Forests and rainforests near water all throughout South America, except Chile.

Description: These large, semi-aquatic mammals are a social species, and they may live in groups of up to 100.

Capybaras are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to five minutes, which is an important skill for evading predators in their native habitat. They will also sleep and mate in the water, but they give birth on dry land.

Capybaras give birth to 1-8 pups that are able to get up and move around within hours after birth.

Capybaras are an important food source for pumas and jaguars, eagles, anaconda, and caimans, and in some parts of South America, they are eaten by humans.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Our Animals: Jackson and Inca