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Capybaras

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Capybaras have made their way to be one of TikTok’s newest trends. These adorable rodents have their own sound on TikTok with over 300,000 videos under it. Here are some fun facts about these super cute capybaras.

The genus Hydrochoerus is also referred to as carpincho and water hog. They can be found in wetlands and forests in Panama, Venezuela, the Amazon River Basin, and Argentina. Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris is the larger of the two living capybara species and is the largest rodent in the world. There is a small population of capybaras in north-central Florida. They can also be found in zoos throughout the U.S. including the San Diego Zoo in California. Keeping a capybara as a pet in 40/50 states is legal. In these states, there may be required special permits or licenses to own a capybara. The ten states it is illegal to own a capybara are California, Georgia, Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont.

These adorable mammals are herbivores. Capybaras have been known to eat squash, melons, and grain. The main predators of the capybara are anacondas and jaguars. They have also been used as food in parts of South America. The smaller capybaras are often hunted by humans. Larger capybaras however are used for meat and their hides are used to make leather. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has deemed both capybaras species of the least concern.


Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris can grow to over 4 feet long and up to 170 lbs while the Hydrochoerus isthmus can be up to around 60 lbs and 3 feet long. Similar to the average speed of a dog, capybaras can run up to 22 miles per hour. The typical lifespan of a capybara is 8-10 years, but in nature, most only survive around 4 years due to natural predators like eagles, anacondas, pumas, jaguars, and humans.

Overall, capybaras definitely deserve all the love and attention they’ve been given recently.



- Caryss Green

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