Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
As the largest rodent in the world, the capybara is a good representative of rodent diversity. Rodents make up about 40% of all known mammal species!
ORIGIN:
South America
HABITAT:
Rainforests, marshes and grasslands
HEIGHT/WEIGHT:
80-150 lbs
Height: 4 ft
DIET:
Grass, leaves, barks and fruit
PREDATORS:
Jaguars, snakes and humans
NATURAL DEFENSES:
"Bark" when threatened
REPRODUCTION:
150-day gestation; sexually mature at 18 months
THREATS:
Hunting by humans
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
Up to 12 yrs in human care
True or false? The capybara can stay underwater for up to five minutes at a time in order to hide from predators.
True |
False |
Our animal information came from the following resources…
