Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochoerus

I must admit that before I set foot in Brazil I had never heard of, or imagined, the world’s largest rodent.  Prior to my stay at Southwild’s Jaguar Flotel, I certainly had never discussed this rodent with anyone.  But that changed on the evening of August 25, 2023, as Xavier Tobin, a Southwild Naturalist, gave our tour group a science lecture focused on the Capybara.  Here are a few of the facts that Xavi laid on us that evening….

• The Capybara is also known as “Master of the Grasses” or “Water Hog”
• Is the world’s largest living rodent
• In the 16th century the Pope declared it was a fish!
• Is always near water, has four webbed toes and is an excellent swimmer
• Quite large, weighing from 35 to 91 Kg
• Has scent glands, “morillo” that it rubs on grasses to mark territory
• Takes frequent mud baths to get rid of parasites
• Selective grazers, eating 3-4 kilos of fresh forage every day
• Comprises 25% of a Jaguar’s diet

I saw quite a few of these rodents during my time in the Amazon Basin and Pantanal regions of Brazil.  They struck me as being rather nonchalant– they didn’t seem bothered by human presence at all.  Below are some of the photos that I took of this unique mammal during my trip.