The largest living rodent, a semiaquatic grazer found in every South American country except Chile. It lives in groups of 10–20, sometimes up to 100, near rivers, lakes and marshes.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Do people eat it?In places
Capybaras are hunted for their meat, hide and fat, and farmed in some areas.
At a glance
Found inSouth America
HabitatWetland, Grassland, Forest, Rivers & lakes
ColoursBrown, Tan
SizeMedium
Length106–134 cm
Weight35–66 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives ingroups
Lives for8–10 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- All of South America except Chile.
- What it eats
- Mainly grasses and water plants, plus fruit and bark.
Did you know
The largest rodent alive, and famously relaxed about other animals sitting on it.
Birds sometimes ride on a capybara’s back to catch the insects it disturbs.
Often confused with
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