Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
IUCN Status: Least concern
Visit us at: Howletts Wild Animal Park
Capybara are the world's largest rodents and are closely related to guinea pigs. They are semiaquatic, are capable of holding their breath underwater for up to five minutes and have partially-webbed feet to help them swim.
Want To Know More
Capybaras are perfectly adapted for life in and around the water. As well as giving them a slightly snooty appearance, their eyes and ears are located high on their heads to avoid being submerged and remain alert when swimming in bodies of water within the forests and wetlands of their home ranges.
Lifespan: 8-10 years
Weight: 40-75kg
Height: 1.8-2.2ft
Length: 3.4-4.4ft
Diet: Herbivore
Diet detail: Grasses, fruit, bark and aquatic plants,
Did you know?: These rodents of unusual size eat their own protein-rich poo in the mornings.
Threats to capybaras
The greatest threat faced by capybaras is hunting for meat and their skins, which are used for leather. Other concerns include habitat loss and human-animal conflict over agricultural resources.
Howletts Wild Animal Park
Where to see our capybaras
Our capybaras live at Howletts Wild Animal Park, nr Canterbury.
