CapybaraHydrochoerus hydrochaerisWhere and when to see them

The capybara is the world's largest living rodent and is native to South America. It is closely related to guinea pigs and is well adapted to life beside rivers, lakes, and wetlands. In the Amazon basin, it is associated particularly with grassy banks, floodplains, and other open areas near water. Its partly webbed feet and high-set eyes, ears, and nostrils help it move and remain alert while swimming. Although widespread, capybaras can face local pressure from hunting and habitat change.

Size

Adults typically measure 100–130 cm in head-and-body length and stand about 50–60 cm at the shoulder.

Weight

Adults typically weigh 35–65 kg.

Lifespan

Usually about 6–10 years in the wild; up to around 12 years in captivity.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN).

Capybaras are social animals that usually live in groups containing adults and young. Group size varies with habitat, season, and the availability of water and food. They communicate using whistles, barks, clicks, and scent signals. Grazing often takes place in the cooler hours of the morning, late afternoon, or night, while hotter periods are spent resting in shade or water. Where people frequently disturb them, they may become more nocturnal. When alarmed, they often retreat into water and can swim underwater to escape danger. Females may nurse young other than their own, and several adults can help watch over the group's offspring.

• Capybaras are the largest living rodents.
• They have four toes on each front foot and three on each hind foot.
• Their incisors grow continuously and are worn down through feeding.
• They can remain submerged for up to about five minutes.

Wildlife opportunities depend on the river reach, water levels and species. River-specific viewing months have not been confirmed; general species seasons are not a local sighting forecast.

Capybaras occupy riversides, marshes, lake margins, and seasonally flooded grasslands across much of tropical and subtropical South America. They need reliable access to water for cooling, refuge, and other daily activities. In the Amazon basin, suitable habitat often combines open grazing areas with nearby water and vegetation that provides cover. Seasonal flooding changes the distribution of these resources and can prompt movements between feeding and resting areas. They can also use human-modified landscapes where water and suitable forage remain available.

Capybaras are herbivores that feed mainly on grasses and aquatic plants. They select different plants as seasonal conditions alter food quality and availability. Microbes in their large cecum help break down fibrous vegetation. They also reingest some of their feces to recover additional nutrients from digestion.

Common name

Capybara

Scientific name

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Animal group

Mammals

Size

Adults typically measure 100–130 cm in head-and-body length and stand about 50–60 cm at the shoulder.

Weight

Adults typically weigh 35–65 kg.

Lifespan

Usually about 6–10 years in the wild; up to around 12 years in captivity.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN).

Identification

Look for a large, barrel-shaped rodent with short legs, coarse brown to reddish-brown fur, and no visible tail. Its broad, blunt muzzle and small rounded ears give the head a distinctive blocky outline. The eyes, ears, and nostrils sit high on the head and may remain visible when most of the body is submerged. Unlike an otter, a capybara has a stocky body rather than an elongated shape with a prominent tail.