Random Magical Facts About the Life of the Capybara (16 items)

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  (#5) Capybara Are Designed To Thrive In The Water

  The capybara may not seem like the most agile animal on the planet, but in the water they possess a striking mobility. Their webbed feet make it possible for them to walk through the mud and swim through rivers and streams with ease.

  Furthermore, their facial features are designed to cope with the water. Their eyes and nostrils are located at the top of their heads which allows them to breathe and stay submerged simultaneously, much like crocodiles. When submerged, their ears also close to keep the water out.
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  (#8) How Can Capybaras Survive On Just A Grass Diet?

  Thanks to special digestive adaptations, capybaras are able to extract an incredible amount of nutrients from their grass-based diet: “A large fermentation chamber, or cecum, in their intestines stores and churns the fibrous materials while mixing in bacteria, enzymes, and gases that aid in digestion.”

  In addition, capybaras regurgitate their food three to four times during the eating process. They also eat their own droppings in order to ingest the highest possible percentage of nutrients. Talk about waste not, want not.
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  (#11) Most Commonly, Capybara Groups Are Female-Heavy But Run By An Alpha Male

  A typical group of capybaras is dominated by one alpha male, usually the biggest. That male has a stable of anywhere from 4-14 females. The group is rounded out by a selection of beta males. The alpha male capybara asserts his dominance by staring down the beta males and pushing them to the outside of the group.

  There, they act as lookouts and sentinels to warn the group of threats from predators.
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  (#2) Capybaras Get To The Size Of A Small St. Bernard

  Unlike most members of the rodent family, capybaras’ heads are flat and square-shaped. The females tend to be a little larger than the males, but in general they reach approximately the same physical size.

  Capybaras can reach about four feet long and about 20 inches tall. Within that relatively small frame, capybaras pack a lot of density, weighing up to 175 pounds.
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  (#10) Anacondas Are Just One Of The Animals That Find Capybaras Both Cute And Delicious

  Perhaps unsurprisingly, several animals find capybaras to be a wonderful snack. The primary threat to the water hog is the anaconda, but they’re also known to be attacked by jaguar, pumas, and piranhas. Baby capybaras are also susceptible to being carried off by eagles and ocelots. Some South American locals also eat capybara, as well.

  One animal that isn’t known to attack capybara is the South American crocodile. That’s why there have been several photographs capturing capybaras and crocodiles sharing the same river bank.
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  (#6) Unlike A Lot Of Animals, Capybaras Can Get Sunburns

  Typically appearing as reddish brown to gray, the capybara’s muted colors are one of their natural evolutionary developments. Another development, their thin, wiry coat, is designed to dry quickly when they exit the water.

  Thus, sunburns become a possibility due to the capybara's thin coat. They counter this possibility by caking their skin in mud, another reason they’re known as water hogs. The capybara’s unique pelt also makes them a valuable hunting commodity, even in modern times.

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