Meet the largest living rodent: the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). The largest adult capybaras can reach up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) and measure around 4 feet (1.2 meters) in body length.
These semiaquatic giant rodents are neotropical fauna, thriving in the tropical, seasonally flooded grasslands of Central and South America. There, they munch on aquatic plants, grasses and even tree bark.
Capybaras live in large social groups led by a dominant male, who uses scent glands on his nose to mark territory. (Capybaras scent mark everything.) Subordinate capybara males, adult females and young capybaras form a structured community, often resting together near the water to avoid predators.
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Like other rodents, capybaras have ever-growing teeth, which they keep in check by chewing on tough vegetation.
One of the most bizarre facts about capybara behaviour? They eat their own feces! This behavior, called coprophagy, helps them digest fiber more efficiently.
When they aren’t eating, the world’s largest rodents maybe be found lounging in a river or evading jaguars. In some parts of South America, where capybara meat is considered a delicacy, they might also be evading humans.
