The capybara is the largest rodent. Description and photo of the animal capybara. Capybara - water pig Capybara habitat

Far across the ocean, in hot Venezuela, an amazing animal lives. It swims like an anaconda, toothy like an alligator and a crocodile, with a shiny coat like an otter's. Who can guess what kind of animal it is? Correct answer - capybara, but in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, probably few have heard of such an exotic creation.

The capybara is also called capybara, and what is most interesting, many people settle this rodent at home. Here is such an unusual alternative to praying mantises, hamsters, newts, rats and guinea pigs. True, it will be very problematic to keep such an animal in an apartment, because capybara weight about 65 kg, and the growth of an adult sheep. She simply loves water, and her whole body is covered with a special water-repellent fur. And here are a couple more features of the capybara: long front teeth, similar to rabbits, and the ability to bark like a dog.

Scientists consider the capybara to be the largest of the rodents. Her whole life is closely connected with various reservoirs. The banks of rivers, swamps, lakes - this is her usual habitat. These animals are amazingly dexterous swimmers and love to spend a huge amount of time in the water. Despite the rather large size of a capybara for a pet (body length 1.5 m) and rather big weight, many lovers of unusual animals still dared to settle this rodent. Many find in it a resemblance to a guinea pig thanks to its cute little muzzle, small, neat ears and a movable nose.

"Capybara" is a name coined by the Indians of South America. Translated from their language, it means "master of the grass." But scientists, when they stumbled upon this mammal, could not find a name for it, because they had never seen anyone like it. As a result of much deliberation, the researchers named it capybara and assigned it to the rodent squad.

What does a capybara look like

Everyone who is closely acquainted with the capybara considers it a very pretty animal. Its main advantage is a small tail, because often it is this part of the body that kills all a person’s love for rodents, such as rats and mice. Causes sympathy and thoughtful complacent muzzle of capybaras. The body of the animal is dense, well-fed, the head is massive. The hind legs are slightly shorter than the front ones, and it seems as if the capybara is constantly doing squats. There are four fingers on the front paws of the capybara, and only three on the back. There are membranes between the fingers, thanks to which the animal can swim, and it also has rather sharp claws, so climbing a tree for a capybara is not a problem. The real pride of the capybara is a thick, long brown coat.

The eyes, nose and ears of the capybara are high, and therefore, when it bathes in a pond, the senses are not submerged under water. So the rodent can calmly wait out the heat in comfortable conditions.

What does the capybara eat in nature and how to feed it at home

The main dishes on the capybara menu are algae and grass. This animal never starves and does not fight with others for food, because it is full not only on land, but also under water. This is one of the factors due to which the animals, although they have become much smaller than their ancient ancestors, have nevertheless survived to this day. Capybara is a happy animal, because it has practically no enemies. The main threat to their quiet life on land is jaguars, in the water - caimans and anacondas.

How and where does the capybara live in nature

Capybara is a herd animal. They form groups led by a male and some females. The remaining males and a huge number of cubs are "subordinates". Capybaras are very peaceful animals, so there are practically no quarrels in their family. Rights and responsibilities are clearly defined, so that the situation is most often calm. The whole company of animals roam the banks of reservoirs, from time to time stopping to rest. Capybaras sleep not in burrows, but in the open. During the day, they look for water or dense thickets to hide from the sun, but the evening and morning coolness returns energy and activity to rodents.

Capybara cubs

A capybara is born, as a rule, four cubs. From the very beginning, babies are independent, although they continue to be fed with mother's milk for another sixteen weeks. From the moment they are born, capybara cubs already have wool, their eyes see well and they can easily follow the herd. Capybara females are excellent mothers. They are very affectionate not only to their own babies, but to all cubs in the herd.

How long do capybaras live in the wild and at home

The life span of capybaras, like other rodents, is quite long. In their natural habitat, they live for about 10 years, and in artificial conditions - 12. A phlegmatic disposition and a measured life help them to live to such a respectable age. People could learn from them too. Capybara is a peaceful animal, she does not like to fight, and if she notices danger, she immediately runs away and hides. As soon as the danger passes, it grazes calmly again.

How the capybara was hunted and then tamed

For many years, only forest and aquatic predators were enemies of capybaras. But with the beginning of the colonization of America, people appreciated the warm fur and tasty meat of animals, and opened a real hunt for them. In addition, for a long time, the capybara was even considered a fish, and the colonists with redoubled zeal destroyed peace-loving animals. Fortunately, people changed their minds in time. It was decided to build special farms and domesticate capybaras.

The capybaras liked the conditions on the farms. Still: there is plenty of food, capacious reservoirs in which you can freely swim and dive, and even the absence of the usual predators. Thanks to these factors, the capybara multiplied rapidly, unaware of the sad fate awaiting them.

Pets - capybaras. Care rules

Many people, having seen a capybara once, or even read about it on the Internet or in a magazine, dream of owning such an animal. And that's a really good idea! Really, capybara can bark like a dog, but does not growl and will never bite your guests. She quickly mastered, and becomes almost a member of the family. This animal shares its calm energy with all the inhabitants of the house, its behavior suppresses aggression, calms nervous nerves and sets only for a good mood. Capybaras can get along well even with dogs and cats.

Putting a capybara in a cage is strictly prohibited. These freedom-loving animals simply cannot survive in it. Yes, and rather big sizes require appropriate space. Capybaras also need a specific climate, because they are used to living in warmth, so something like a greenhouse combined with an indoor pool will do.

Feeding a capybara is not difficult. Vegetables, fruits, fresh hay - this is their favorite diet. The capybara will not refuse canned dog food or pellets for rodents. The place where the feeder is located, the animal will remember very quickly.

Capybara can be walked on a leash like a dog, or you can let it run free. These animals are ideal swimming friends, and even teachers who will demonstrate the correct diving technique by their own example.

And finally, good news for apartment residents who want to have such an exotic pet: there are pygmy capybarus. These animals resemble rabbits in size (photo of rabbits), but they are much more active.

Capybara (capybara) is a herbivorous semi-aquatic mammal, the only representative of the capybara family. It is the largest modern rodent. Translated from the language of the Guarani Indians, "capybara" is "master of herbs." In the countries of South and Central America, this animal is called differently - korpincho, capugia, caprincho, poncho.

The body of an adult capybara reaches a length of 1-1.35 m, the animal grows 50-60 cm high at the withers. The weight of males is 34-63 kg, females - 36-65.5 kg. (all measurements were carried out in llanos of Venezuela). As you can already see from the measurements, females are usually larger than males.

The physique of the capybara is heavy. Outwardly, it resembles a huge guinea pig with a large head. The capybara has a massive, large head, a blunt, wide muzzle. Thick upper lip, rounded, short ears, widely spaced nostrils. Small eyes are high on the head, somewhat behind. Rudimentary tail. Fairly short limbs. Four fingers on the front, three on the back.

The fingers connect small incomplete swimming membranes, and are crowned with short strong claws. The body is covered with long (3-12 cm), coarse hair, so sparse that you can see the skin through it, there is no undercoat.

The color of the upper body ranges from grayish to brownish-red, the ventral part is usually brownish-yellow. Young animals are painted in lighter colors. Sexually mature males have a skin area with many large sebaceous glands in the upper part of the muzzle, females have six pairs of nipples on their belly.

The capybara has a massive skull, the zygomatic arches are strong and wide, the frontal bones are long, wide, and the nasal bones are wide. The occipital part of the skull is relatively narrow and lacks a sagittal crest. Large lacrimal bone, relatively small auditory bone drums.

The infraorbital foramen does not have a canal through which the nerve would pass. The bony palate is narrowed in front. There are twenty teeth in the mouth. The cheek teeth do not have roots throughout the life of the animal.

The left and right rows of cheek teeth converge in front. The third molars on the lower and upper jaws are larger than all other molars, they are formed from transverse plates connected by cement. The incisors are white and wide. The upper incisors have a longitudinal groove on the outer surface. The tibia and tibia are partially fused together. The animal does not have a collarbone. There are 66 chromosomes in the diploid set.

Capybara can be found on the shores of various reservoirs in temperate and tropical parts of South and Central America, east of the Andes - from northeast Argentina and Uruguay to Panama. It is also found in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, French Guiana. In addition, the distribution area includes the Amazon, Orinoco and La Plata river basins.

The main factors that limit the distribution of capybaras are water and air temperature. In the mountains, these animals can be found up to a height of 1.3 km. above sea level.

Some people treat the pygmy capybara as a separate species, calling it the capybara. It occurs from Northwestern Venezuela and Colombia to Northern Panama. The size of the small capybara noticeably lags behind the size of the usual capybara.

Starting from the Upper Miocene, one can trace how the fossil capybara looked like, and specifically the capybara, from the Upper Pliocene. All species of this family lived exclusively in North and South America.

Capybaras lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle, rarely moving further from the reservoir than 0.5-1 km. The distribution of these animals is influenced by seasonal fluctuations in water: with the onset of the rainy season, capybaras disperse throughout the territory, and when the dry season begins, they gather on the banks of large rivers and other permanent reservoirs. They often travel long distances in search of water and food.

The capybara is an excellent diver and swimmer. Ears, eyes and nostrils high on the head allow them to hold them when swimming above the water.

The only enemies of capybaras are crocodile caimans, wild dogs, alligators, ocelots, jaguars, anacondas. From the attacks of terrestrial predators, they hide under water, while breathing through the nostrils remaining on the surface.

In the wild, capybaras feed on fruits, tubers, hay and grass, and aquatic plants. In captivity, their food is fish and pellets.

Capybaras are social animals living in groups of 10-20 individuals. The group includes: a dominant male, several sexually mature females (they have their own internal hierarchy), cubs and subordinate males that are on the periphery of the group. About 5-10% of the total number of capybaras, mostly males, live alone. The dominant male is often expelled from the group by male competitors.

The more arid the capybaras live in, the larger their groups are. And in the dry season, near large reservoirs, it happens that several hundred animals accumulate there. On average, a herd of capybaras owns an area of ​​​​about 10 hectares, but the main area where animals most often spend time is limited, as a rule, to 1 hectare. Animals mark the site with secretions from the anal and nasal glands. Conflicts sometimes arise between its permanent inhabitants and strangers.

Capybaras communicate with the help of barking and clicking sounds, whistling, as well as the smell of secretions from the olfactory gland located in males on the muzzle. When the mating season comes, males leave marks on the vegetation with the secretion of this gland, thereby attracting females.

Capybaras are capable of breeding all year round, but they usually mate when the rainy season begins: in Venezuela it is April-May, in Brazil, Mato Grosso - October-November. The mating process takes place in the water. The duration of pregnancy is approximately 150 days. Most cubs in Venezuela are born in September-November. Childbirth does not take place in a shelter, but simply on the ground.

The number of offspring is from 2 to 8 cubs, covered with wool, with open eyes that have already erupted teeth. The weight of newborns is about 1.5 kg. All females of the group take care of the cubs. Shortly after they are born, babies are able to move independently and eat grass. However, mother's milk in their diet lasts up to 3-4 months. In a year, one female in favorable conditions can bring 2-3 litters, but more often brings one.

Capybaras reach puberty at 15-18 months, when their body weight becomes 30-40 kg.

Capybaras are closely related to water, and this once led to a curious incident. Approximately 300 years ago, they were classified by the Catholic Church as fish, which lifted the ban on eating their meat during fasting. Once a similar thing was done in Europe with a beaver. And in our time, there is a great demand for capybara meat in South American markets, although different people express conflicting opinions about its taste.

The capybara is not a protected species. The development of agriculture and animal husbandry often benefits them, as new lands are developed, pastures are created, therefore, in case of drought, capybaras will have more food and water. Based on this, we can conclude that the number of these animals on undeveloped lands will be less than near pastures. The densest populations of capybaras are 2-3.5 individuals per 1 ha.

Today, semi-wild capybaras are bred in Venezuela on special farms to obtain meat and skin, as well as fat used in pharmaceuticals. Capybara meat is similar in appearance and taste to pork.

Here is what Gerald Durrell writes about the capybara in his book Three Tickets:
“The capybara is a huge rodent, a fat animal with an elongated body, which is covered with shaggy, hard hair of a brown variegated color. The front pair of paws is longer than the back pair, and there is no tail on the massive rump. Therefore, the animal always looks like it is about to sit down. Paws are large, fingers are wide webbed. On the front paws, the claws are blunt, short, very similar to small hooves. The capybara has a rather aristocratic appearance - a wide flat head and a blunt, almost square, muzzle give it a patronizing and benign appearance, somewhat similar to a pensive lion. On the ground, capybaras move with a characteristic shuffling gait or waddle at a gallop, and in the water they dive and swim with amazing dexterity and agility.
Capybaras are phlegmatic good-natured vegetarians, devoid of the bright personality that is inherent in some of his relatives. But this shortcoming is more than compensated by a friendly and calm disposition.

The life expectancy of capybaras is 9-10 years, in captivity up to 12 years. These animals are easy to domesticate and tame, you can even teach capybaras different tricks. For the local population, they are not only a source of meat, but also domestic animals.

And this is how capybaras are caught on a Venezuelan breeding farm in El Frio during the dry season. Animals, when they see riders, strangely jump up and take flight. Cowboys brandish their clubs and their wide-brimmed hats, squawking, thus cutting off the capybaras from the water. Animals begin to puff strangely and make hoarse alarm sounds.

Pregnant females and young animals are the first to not withstand persecution. They fall behind and the pursuers gallop past them. The circle is getting narrower. Some animals contrive to slip between the horses. And the rest huddle together and finally stop.

It is difficult to say who first decided to implement a capybara farming project. But in our time, a lot of them have been formed - from large ones, the population of which reaches 30 thousand animals, to small ones, with the number of animals from 600 to 2 thousand.

So why did you decide to start breeding capybaras? Isn't it more profitable to keep sheep or cattle on a farm? It turns out not. The productivity and survival of livestock is reduced due to the succession of floods and droughts. During a drought, it happens that there is not enough feed, and then the farmer is forced to purchase them. In addition, after living there for ten years, a rare cow will bring more than four calves.

But capybaras are remarkably adapted to such conditions. It turned out that they are ideal for breeding them on Venezuelan farms, as they do not have aggression, the process of reproduction and growth is fast, and it is easy to care for them. Even adult capybaras are easy to tame, they are obedient and affectionate, they are friends with humans and dogs.

On one large farm in Venezuela, studies were conducted, during which it turned out that capybaras are more efficient than rabbits or sheep in processing grass into protein. In addition, they do not compete with cattle on pastures. And the weight of the offspring of these animals exceeds the weight of the offspring of other herbivores five times.

During the dry season, when capybaras gather near water bodies, farmers count their exact number and decide how many animals can be sold (about a third of the herd). By the way, in order to preserve the population of wild capybaras, no more than 10% of the population can be shot.

Farms where capybaras are bred have become profitable also because their owners always follow certain rules. For example, they will never slaughter an animal that has not reached the weight of 18 kg, a pregnant female or a female with cubs. In addition, they never disturb the natural environment in which wild animals live.

Moderately dried and salted capybara meat can be bought at the city market for the same price as beef. It is said to have a pleasant taste. It is in such great demand that one large El Frio farm can supply them with only one large city in the country. The area of ​​this farm is about 81 thousand hectares. earth. She was one of the first to choose capybara breeding as her specialty.

But until recently, capybaras were under the threat of extinction, as they were considered competitors of cattle on pastures and even pests that destroy crops. And, no matter how surprising it may sound, the capybar saved the interest of man in them, as in meat animals.

Today, biologists from Venezuela believe that the production of capybara meat may be even more promising than the harvesting of cattle products.

Capybara, or as it is also called, the capybara is a semi-aquatic animal that is a representative of the rodent order. This is a very unusual animal and many will be interested to get to know him. The capybara is the largest rodent. Below you will find a description and photo of the capybara animal, as well as learn a lot of new things about it.

What does a capybara look like?

The capybara looks like a giant guinea pig. The capybara animal has a large head, a wide blunt muzzle and short ears. The capybara's eyes are small and set high on the head. The capybara looks massive, has an oblong body shape and has a very impressive size. After all, the capybara animal is one of the largest animals.

The body length of the capybara is from 1 to 1.3 meters, with a height at the withers of 50 to 60 cm. Females are larger than males. Males have many large sebaceous glands on the muzzle. The capybara animal weighs between 34 and 65 kg. The capybara looks amazing. The capybara has short legs, on the fingers of which there are small swimming membranes, which allows the rodent to swim well. The capybara also has 20 sharp teeth. The capybara animal loves water very much, loves to swim and dive.

The capybara looks quite fluffy, because its body is covered with long coarse hair, but it does not have an undercoat. The color of the capybara varies from brown-red to grayish. The underside of the body of the animal capybara usually has a brownish-yellowish hue. Juveniles are lighter in color than adults. Capybara is a very cute and funny animal that has a calm and good-natured character.

Where does the capybara live?

The capybara lives in Central and South America, where it is found from Panama to Uruguay, up to the province of Buenos Aires. Capybaras live along the banks of various water bodies in the tropical and temperate parts of the above areas.

The capybara is found in the following countries: Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and French Guiana. Capybara lives in the basins of such rivers as: Amazon, Orinoco and La Plata. The capybara rodent avoids water bodies on high ground and usually settles at an altitude of no more than 1 km above sea level.

What does a capybara eat and how does it live?

The Indians call the capybara animal the "master of herbs", since this rodent is a herbivore. With its sharp teeth, the capybara cuts grass like a razor. The capybara eats the fruits and tubers of plants. In addition, the capybara eats hay and various aquatic plants.

The capybara lives by being active during the daytime and leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle. In some cases, the capybara can also switch to a nocturnal lifestyle. The capybara lives near the water, so it does not move more than 1 km from the shores of the reservoir.

The whole life of the capybara is associated with fluctuations in the water level. During the rainy season, capybaras disperse throughout the territory, and in the dry season they gather along the banks of rivers and reservoirs. The capybara animal can travel quite long distances in search of water and food. The capybara rodent swims and dives perfectly, while feeling more confident in the water than on land. Highly located eyes, ears and nostrils allow the capybara to keep them above the water while swimming.

The capybara rodent is a social animal and has its own hierarchy. Capybaras live in groups that consist of 10-20 individuals. The leader in such groups is the dominant male. Also in the group there are several females (they have their own internal hierarchy), cubs and subordinate males. Occasionally, capybaras live alone, and even then only males. It often happens that the dominant male will expel other males from the group in order to avoid competition.

Groups of capybaras grow larger in arid areas. During periods of drought, several hundred capybaras can gather along the banks of reservoirs. On average, a herd of capybaras has at its disposal a territory of up to 10 hectares. But most of the time they spend on a plot of only 1 hectare. The boundaries of the capybara are marked with glands. On its territory, the capybara animal does not welcome strangers. Communication between capybaras is carried out with the help of various clicking and barking sounds, whistling, and also smell. During the mating season, males mark vegetation with their secret to attract females.

The capybara has enemies in the wild. On land, the natural enemies of the animal capybara are wild dogs, jaguars, and ocelots. From these predators, the capybara hides under water, breathing through nostrils that remain on the surface. But even in the water, the capybara has enough enemies: anacondas, alligators, crocodile caimans and Orinoco crocodiles.

The capybara animal is not a protected species. The agricultural activity of people is most often in favor of these rodents, thereby providing them with water and food during periods of drought. In this connection, the number of capybaras in the territories developed by people can be significantly higher than in the wild. Currently, on special farms in Venezuela, capybaras are bred for meat and leather products. Outwardly and to taste, capybara meat resembles pork. Capybara fat is used in pharmaceuticals, as is badger fat.

Recently, people are increasingly getting home of various exotic animals. The capybara is no exception; today this rodent is becoming a pet. This is not surprising, because the capybara is an extremely calm and trusting animal that gets along well with other pets and is easily tamed.

In addition, the capybara animal lends itself well to training, is distinguished by cleanliness and unpretentiousness in maintenance. The most important thing is to make sure that the animal is absolutely healthy.

baby capybara

The capybara animal can breed all year round. But usually the mating season falls on April-May or October-November. Mating takes place underwater. The gestation period for capybaras is about 150 days. The birth of capybara cubs takes place right on the ground, as females do not arrange shelters. Usually 2 to 8 capybara babies are born.

A baby capybara is born sighted, covered with hair and with erupted teeth. A newborn baby capybara weighs about 1.5 kg.

All females in the group take care of the babies. Soon, the baby capybara is already following the mother and can eat grass. However, capybara cubs feed on mother's milk for up to 3-4 months.

Capybaras become capable of breeding at about the age of 1.5 years. By this period, they reach a mass of 30-40 kg. In nature, the capybara lives for about 10 years, in captivity for about 12 years.

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Fed to the size of a large pig. From the language of the South American Indians, where it comes from, the name translates as "Lord of Herbs." The capybara is simply huge, it is the largest rodent on Earth, and there is a belief that their ancestors were the size of a rhinoceros. Unlike guinea pigs, capybaras in their natural environment spend most of their lives in water, hence the second name. But they also feel great in city apartments as a pet.

capybara

Habits and character of the rodent

The first rule is to discard the stereotype that once a rodent is stupid. The capybara has a fairly developed intellect, and a herd instinct. In the wild, they live in small communities of about 20 individuals with a strict hierarchy. The dominant male owns all the females to which other animals are not allowed access. The same possessive instincts will remain at home, but you will not see any aggression, rather, the beast will simply attract more attention to itself, poking its muzzle in the leg and calling to play.

But one problem lies in the care - they constantly need water. Don't drink, just swim. Of course, you can draw water into the bathroom every day, but this will end with the neighbors downstairs. To solve this misfortune, it is better to start a capybara, who has a country house with a swimming pool or a clean pond - there the rodent will feel at home.

Capybara among people

Animal characteristics:

• Body length - up to 1.5 m;
• Height - up to 65 cm;
• Weight - up to 65 kg;
• Lifespan is up to 12 years in captivity.

From the photo above, all doubts disappear that there is a large rodent.

Rodent care

Homemade capybara does not require care at all. Just feed, give somewhere to buy, and play. Teeth, eyes, ears, fur - the animal will take care of everything itself.

Capybara with a cat

If you have little free time, then the capybara will find friends among domestic animals. You don’t have to worry about them - neither animals, nor small children, nor guests will be touched by the capybara, they begin to show aggression only in self-defense. The first warning will be a staccato bark, reminiscent of dogs. But as soon as you hear a whistle, clicking, or rumbling, everything is fine, the animal is calm and everything is fine.

Capybara reading a book

The rodent has sufficient intelligence for training, you can teach simple tricks.

Food

The diet is not difficult:

• Grass, hay;
• Vegetables fruits;
• Canned dog food and dry food;
• Food for rodents.

A rare case for animals, but you can even feed food from our table, but only where there is a minimum of chemistry, preservatives, and other rubbish.

Snack

The first conquerors of America, unfortunately, appreciated the taste of capybara meat, it is very tender and tasty. In the wild, they have few enemies - crocodiles, anacondas, and king cats, but the most merciless enemy has appeared - man. The number of rodents has become so small that they almost went down in history.

Incredibly, the Catholic Church ranked them among the fish, thereby giving the go-ahead to eat in fasting.

But this is in the past, in our time their numbers are growing, and there is no longer a threat to disappear.

Buying a rodent

You can buy a capybara only in specialized nurseries, which can be counted on the fingers. The price per animal is very high - from 120,000 rubles.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

The body length of an adult capybara reaches 1-1.35 m, the height at the withers is 50-60 cm. Males weigh 34-63 kg, and females 36-65.5 kg (measurements were made in Venezuelan llanos). Females are usually larger than males.

Body is heavy. Outwardly, the capybara resembles a giant large-headed guinea pig. The head is large, massive with a wide, blunt muzzle. The upper lip is thick. Ears are short and rounded. The nostrils are widely spaced. The eyes are small, set high on the head and set somewhat back. The tail is rudimentary. The limbs are rather short; front - 4-fingered (there were six fingers) [ clarify], rear - 3-fingered. The fingers are connected by small swimming membranes and are equipped with short strong claws. The body is covered with long (30-120 mm) and coarse hair; undercoat is absent. The color of the upper side of the body is from reddish-brown to grayish, the ventral side, as a rule, is yellowish-brown. Juveniles are lighter colored. Mature males have a patch of skin with numerous large sebaceous glands on the upper part of the muzzle. Females have 6 pairs of abdominal nipples.

The skull is massive, with wide and strong zygomatic arches. Teeth 20. Cheek teeth without roots, grow throughout the life of the animal. The incisors are wide, have a longitudinal groove on the outer surface. The small and large tibia are partially fused together. There is no collarbone. There are 66 chromosomes in the diploid set.

Spreading

Capybara is found along the shores of various reservoirs in tropical and temperate parts of Central and South America, east of the Andes - from Panama to Uruguay and northeast Argentina (up to 38 ° 17 "S, Buenos Aires province).

Recorded in the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, French Guiana. The distribution area includes the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata river basins. The main factors limiting the spread are air and water temperature. In the mountains, capybaras are found up to an altitude of 1300 m above sea level.

Sometimes a dwarf variety of capybara is considered as a separate species, Hydrochoerus isthmius or small capybara (Goldman, 1912). Found from Northern Panama to Colombia and Northwestern Venezuela. In size, the small capybara is noticeably smaller than the usual capybara.

In fossil form, representatives of the capybara family have been known since the Upper Miocene, and representatives of the subfamily Hydrochoerinae, which owns the capybara, from the Upper Pliocene. All species of the family were distributed exclusively in South and North America.

Lifestyle and nutrition

Leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle; rarely more than 500-1000 m away from water. Its distribution is associated with seasonal fluctuations in the water level - during the rainy season, capybaras disperse throughout the territory, in the dry season they accumulate along the banks of large rivers and other permanent reservoirs and often travel long distances in search of water and food.

These rodents are usually active during the day, but if they are often disturbed by people and predators, they switch to a nocturnal lifestyle.

The capybara is an excellent swimmer and diver; The high location on the head of the eyes, ears and nostrils allows her to keep them above the water when swimming.

The natural enemies of the animal are wild dogs, crocodile caimans and alligators, Orinoc crocodiles, jaguars, ocelots, anacondas. From terrestrial predators, they hide under water, breathing through nostrils that remain on the surface.

Capybara food in the wild includes fruits and tubers, hay and grass, aquatic plants.

Social structure and reproduction

Capybaras are social animals living in groups of 10-20 individuals. Groups consist of a dominant male, several adult females (with their own internal hierarchy), cubs and subordinate males located on the periphery of the group. 5-10% of capybaras, mostly males, live alone. The dominant male often expels competing males from the group. The drier the area, the larger the groups; in a drought, up to several hundred individuals sometimes accumulate around water bodies. A herd of capybaras, on average, occupies an area of ​​about 10 hectares, however, spending most of the time on an area of ​​\u200b\u200bless than 1 hectare. The site is marked with secretions from the nasal and anal glands; there were conflicts between its permanent inhabitants and newcomers.

These animals communicate with the help of whistling, clicking and barking sounds, as well as the smell of the secretion of the olfactory gland ( morrillo), which is located in males on the muzzle. During the mating season, males mark vegetation with secretions to attract females.

Capybaras can breed year-round, although mating usually occurs at the start of the rainy season (April-May in Venezuela; October-November in Mato Grosso, Brazil). Mating takes place in the water. Pregnancy lasts about 150 days, most births occur in September-November (Venezuela). Childbirth takes place on the ground, not in shelters. The female brings 2-8 cubs, which are born with hair, open eyes and erupted teeth. Newborns weigh about 1.5 kg. All females in the group take care of the newborns, who soon after birth can already follow the mother and feed on grass. Milk feeding, however, continues up to 3-4 months. In a year, under favorable conditions, there are up to 2-3 litters, but mostly the female brings only one litter per year.

Capybaras become sexually mature at the age of 15-18 months, reaching a mass of 30-40 kg.

Capybara in history

About 300 years ago, the Catholic Church classified the capybara as a fish. Thus, the ban on eating capybara meat during fasting was lifted.

population status

The capybara is not a protected species. Agricultural development of land and the creation of grazing lands often benefit capybaras, providing them with food and water during droughts. As a consequence, the number of capybaras in the pasture area may be higher than in undeveloped areas. The highest population density is estimated at 2-3.5 individuals/ha.

Currently, semi-wild capybaras are bred on special farms (Venezuela) for meat and leather products; are also used as a source of fat for pharmaceutical purposes. Capybara meat tastes and looks like pork.

Sources

• Ciszek, D. and C. Winters. 1999. (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 13, 2007.
• Animal life: in 7 volumes / Ed. V. E. Sokolova. T.7. Mammals - 2nd ed., Rev. - M.: Enlightenment, 1989. - 558 p. (p. 188).

Links

• : information on the IUCN Red List website (eng.)
• E. Soldatkin. . Young naturalist, 6. 1987.

An excerpt characterizing the Capybara

Alexander I, appeaser of Europe, a man who from a young age strove only for the good of his peoples, the first instigator of liberal innovations in his fatherland, now that he seems to have the greatest power and therefore the opportunity to do the good of his peoples, while Napoleon in exile makes childish and false plans about how he would make mankind happy if he had power, Alexander I, having fulfilled his calling and feeling the hand of God on himself, suddenly recognizes the insignificance of this imaginary power, turns away from it, transfers it into the hands of those despised by him and contemptible people and only says:
“Not to us, not to us, but to your name!” I am a human too, just like you; leave me to live like a man and think about my soul and about God.

Just as the sun and each atom of the ether are a ball, complete in itself, and at the same time only an atom of the whole inaccessible to man in terms of the immensity of the whole, so each person carries his own goals in himself and meanwhile wears them in order to serve common goals inaccessible to man. .
A bee sitting on a flower stung the child. And the child is afraid of bees and says that the purpose of the bee is to sting people. The poet admires the bee, clinging to the cup of the flower, and says that the purpose of the bee is to absorb the aroma of flowers into itself. The beekeeper, noticing that the bee collects flower dust and brings it to the hive, says that the purpose of the bee is to collect honey. Another beekeeper, having studied the life of the swarm more closely, says that the bee collects dust for feeding young bees and breeding the queen, that its purpose is to procreate. The botanist notices that, flying with the dust of a dioecious flower to the pistil, the bee fertilizes it, and the botanist sees the purpose of the bee in this. Another, observing the migration of plants, sees that the bee contributes to this migration, and this new observer can say that this is the purpose of the bee. But the ultimate goal of the bee is not exhausted by either one or the other, or the third goal that the human mind is able to discover. The higher the human mind rises in discovering these goals, the more obvious for it is the inaccessibility of the final goal.
Man can only observe the correspondence between the life of a bee and other phenomena of life. The same with the goals of historical persons and peoples.

The wedding of Natasha, who married Bezukhov in 13, was the last joyful event in the old Rostov family. In the same year, Count Ilya Andreevich died, and, as always happens, the old family fell apart with his death.
The events of the last year: the fire of Moscow and the flight from it, the death of Prince Andrei and the despair of Natasha, the death of Petya, the grief of the countess - all this, like blow after blow, fell on the head of the old count. He did not seem to understand and felt himself unable to understand the significance of all these events and, morally bowing his old head, as if he expected and asked for new blows that would finish him off. He seemed now frightened and confused, then unnaturally lively and enterprising.
Natasha's wedding temporarily occupied him with its outer side. He ordered lunches and dinners and, apparently, wanted to appear cheerful; but his joy was not communicated, as before, but, on the contrary, aroused compassion in people who knew and loved him.
After Pierre and his wife left, he calmed down and began to complain of longing. A few days later he fell ill and went to bed. From the first days of his illness, despite the consolations of the doctors, he realized that he could not get up. The countess, without undressing, spent two weeks in an armchair at his head. Every time she gave him medicine, he silently kissed her hand, sobbing. On the last day, weeping, he asked for forgiveness from his wife and in absentia from his son for the ruin of the estate - the main guilt that he felt for himself. Having taken communion and having received special blessings, he died quietly, and the next day a crowd of acquaintances who had come to pay their last debt to the deceased filled the Rostovs' rented apartment. All these acquaintances, who had dined and danced with him so many times, laughed at him so many times, now all with the same feeling of inner reproach and tenderness, as if justifying themselves before someone, said: human. You won’t meet such people today ... And who doesn’t have their weaknesses? .. ”
It was at a time when the count's affairs were so confused that it was impossible to imagine how it would all end if another year continued, he suddenly died.
Nicholas was with the Russian troops in Paris when the news of his father's death came to him. He immediately resigned and, without waiting for it, took a vacation and came to Moscow. The state of money affairs a month after the death of the count was completely outlined, surprising everyone with the enormity of the amount of various small debts, the existence of which no one suspected. There were twice as many debts as estates.
Relatives and friends advised Nicholas to abandon the inheritance. But Nikolay saw in the refusal of the inheritance an expression of reproach to the sacred memory of his father and therefore did not want to hear about the refusal and accepted the inheritance with the obligation to pay debts.
The creditors, who had been silent for so long, being bound during the life of the count by that indefinite but powerful influence that his licentious kindness had on them, suddenly all filed for recovery. There was, as always happens, a competition to see who would get it first, and the very people who, like Mitenka and others, had non-monetary bills of exchange—gifts—now became the most exacting creditors. Nikolai was given neither time nor rest, and those who, apparently, felt sorry for the old man who was responsible for their loss (if there were losses), now ruthlessly attacked the apparently innocent young heir in front of them, who voluntarily took upon himself the payment.
None of the turnovers proposed by Nikolai succeeded; the estate was sold under the hammer at half price, and half of the debts still remained unpaid. Nikolai took the thirty thousand offered to him by his son-in-law Bezukhov to pay that part of the debts that he recognized as monetary, real debts. And in order not to be put in a hole for the remaining debts, which the creditors threatened him with, he again entered the service.
It was impossible to go to the army, where he was in the first vacancy of a regimental commander, because the mother now held on to her son, as to the last bait of life; and therefore, despite his unwillingness to remain in Moscow in the circle of people who knew him before, despite his disgust for the civil service, he took a place in the civil service in Moscow and, having taken off his favorite uniform, settled with his mother and Sonya in a small apartment, on Sivtsev Vrazhka.
Natasha and Pierre lived at that time in St. Petersburg, having no clear idea about the situation of Nicholas. Nikolai, having borrowed money from his son-in-law, tried to hide his plight from him. Nikolai's situation was especially bad because with his one thousand two hundred rubles of salary he not only had to support himself, Sonya and his mother, but he had to support his mother so that she did not notice that they were poor. The countess could not understand the possibilities of life without the conditions of luxury familiar to her from childhood, and incessantly, not realizing how difficult it was for her son, she demanded either a carriage, which they did not have, to send for a friend, or expensive food for herself and wine for son, then money to make a surprise gift to Natasha, Sonya and the same Nikolai.
Sonya ran the household, looked after her aunt, read aloud to her, endured her whims and secret dislikes, and helped Nikolai hide from the old countess the state of need in which they were. Nikolai felt indebted to Sonya for everything she did for his mother, admired her patience and devotion, but tried to move away from her.
In his soul, he seemed to reproach her for being too perfect, and for the fact that there was nothing to reproach her for. It had everything for which people are valued; but it wasn't enough to make him love her. And he felt that the more he appreciated, the less he loved her. He took her at her word, in her letter, with which she gave him freedom, and now he behaved with her as if everything that had been between them had long been forgotten and in no case could be repeated.
Nikolai's situation got worse and worse. The idea of ​​saving from your salary turned out to be a dream. He not only did not put off, but, satisfying the requirements of his mother, he owed on trifles. There was no way out of his position. The thought of marrying a wealthy heiress, who was offered to him by his relatives, was disgusting to him. Another way out of his situation - the death of his mother - never occurred to him. He wanted nothing, hoped for nothing; and in the very depths of his soul he experienced a gloomy and austere pleasure in the meek transfer of his position. He tried to avoid former acquaintances with their condolences and offers of insulting help, avoided all distraction and entertainment, even at home he did nothing but lay out cards with his mother, silently walk around the room and smoke pipe after pipe. It was as if he diligently observed in himself that gloomy mood of spirit, in which alone he felt himself able to endure his position.

At the beginning of winter, Princess Marya arrived in Moscow. From city rumors, she learned about the position of the Rostovs and how “the son sacrificed himself for his mother,” as they said in the city.
“I didn’t expect anything else from him,” Princess Mary said to herself, feeling a joyful confirmation of her love for him. Remembering her friendly and almost family relations with the whole family, she considered it her duty to go to them. But, recalling her relationship with Nikolai in Voronezh, she was afraid of this. Having made a great effort on herself, however, a few weeks after her arrival in the city, she came to the Rostovs.
Nikolai was the first to meet her, since the only way to get to the countess was through his room. At the first glance at her, instead of expressing the joy that Princess Marya expected to see on him, Nikolai's face took on an expression of coldness, dryness and pride that the princess had never seen before. Nikolai asked about her health, took her to her mother and, after sitting for about five minutes, left the room.