Capybaras

Courtesy+of+Istock+Photos

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Courtesy of Istock Photos

Bella Gross

Capybaras are large mammals native to South Africa and are extremely friendly to other animals. They are the largest living rodent and a member of the genus Hydrochoerus. Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies. They’re most closely related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the nutria.

 

Capybaras are very friendly towards not just animals, but humans as well. But why are they this way? Capybaras are very social and live in large groups in the wild. During the dry season, they are able to form groups as large as 100. Capybaras are very peaceful and calm animals that don’t tend to care about what’s going on around them. They’re gentle, calm, and affectionate with people and pets. However, they’re still wild animals that can begin to act aggressively if they feel stressed. Though, bites or attacks from them are extremely uncommon. Despite them being wild animals, they can still be kept as pets. Capybaras can make for very good pets, but they still need to be kept in an enclosure similar to their natural habitats. Their enclosures should be fit for their large size and contain a deep pool for them to swim, drink and hydrate their skin in. Capybaras enjoy cuddles and require lots of attention, even from other capybaras and animals.

 

When capybaras mate, they mate in groups where females are often the dominant ones. Capybaras often breed throughout the year and have a peak of mating during the beginning of the rainy season. While the female is in heat, the males are often driven off and replaced by a more dominant male. Young are usually born after 150 days, in litters from two to eight. The young mostly just stay in one place with their parents for days at a time. They nurse for the first three months during this time and during most of the first year of their life, the young are small, slow, and easily tired which makes them easily vulnerable to predators. However, due to them staying in large groups during mating season, this prevents them from getting attacked or hunted by predators. The protection from their large groups are essential to survival, however, because the grown capybaras are busy protecting their young, they have little time to actually take care of them.

 

In the end, capybaras are loving and sweet to other animals and humans. Even though sometimes they can become aggressive when stressed, it is very rare and uncommon. They do well in the wild and they do even better in groups of other capybaras. They are animals that should be continued to be loved and cared for.