25 Capybara Facts: Fun Facts About the Largest Rodent

Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents: semi-aquatic South American grazers that weigh around 35–65 kg (77–143 lb), live in social herds, can stay underwater for up to five minutes and are related to guinea pigs. Below are 25 fun, fact-checked capybara facts, from their webbed feet to their Japanese hot-spring fame.

Capybaras have gone from wetland residents to internet celebrities, plush best-sellers and the unofficial mascot of staying calm. Whether you are writing a school report, settling a debate or just love these round, unbothered rodents, these capybara facts will make you an expert. For the story of why they make such lovable stuffed toys, see our capybara plushies guide.

Capybara Quick Facts

Sources: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance fact sheet, WWF and National Geographic.

What Are the Most Interesting Facts About a Capybara’s Size and Body?

1. Capybaras are the largest living rodents. They are bigger than beavers, porcupines and every other rodent alive today.
2. They are surprisingly heavy. Adults usually weigh 35–65 kg (77–143 lb), about the same as a large dog.
3. They are about as long as an adult is tall at the waist. Capybaras typically measure around 1–1.3 m (3.3–4.3 ft) from nose to rump.
4. They have barely any tail. A capybara’s tail is just a tiny stub, which adds to their rounded, potato-like shape.
5. Their fur is coarse, not fluffy. Real capybaras have sparse, wiry reddish-brown to greyish fur. Plush capybaras are far softer than the real thing.

How Do Capybaras Live in Water?

6. Capybaras are semi-aquatic. They spend much of their time in or near rivers, lakes, marshes and ponds.
7. Their feet are slightly webbed. This helps them paddle through water and walk on soft, muddy ground.
8. Their eyes, ears and nostrils sit high on the head. A capybara can stay almost fully submerged while still watching, listening and breathing.
9. They can hold their breath for up to five minutes. San Diego Zoo notes capybaras can stay underwater this long, often to hide from predators.
10. Their scientific name means “water pig”. Hydrochoerus comes from Greek words for water and pig.

What Do Capybaras Eat?

11. Capybaras are herbivores. They graze mainly on grasses and water plants, and may eat fruit, bark and other vegetation depending on the season.
12. Their front teeth never stop growing. Like all rodents, capybaras have incisors that grow throughout life, worn down by constant chewing.
13. They eat some of their own droppings. It sounds odd, but this habit lets them digest tough plant fibres a second time and absorb more nutrients.
14. Their name means “grass eater”. “Capybara” comes from the Tupi language of Brazil, and is usually translated as “grass eater” or “master of the grasses”.

How Do Capybaras Live Together?

15. Capybaras are very social. They live in groups, often of up to about 20 animals, usually near a shared water source.
16. A group of capybaras is called a herd. Herds rest, graze and keep watch together.
17. Baby capybaras are called pups. Pups can walk and swim soon after birth and stay close to the herd.
18. They talk to each other. Capybaras use a range of sounds, from soft purr-like noises to sharp alarm calls.
19. Birds use them as perches and snack bars. A 2016 Brazilian study recorded 10 bird species using capybaras as hunting perches and picking ticks off them. Read more in our guide to why capybaras get along with other animals.
20. They have predators. Jaguars, pumas, ocelots, harpy eagles and green anacondas all hunt capybaras, so herds stay alert and escape into water.

Why Are Capybaras So Famous?

21. They have a famously calm reputation. Photos of birds, monkeys and ducklings resting on capybaras made them the internet’s symbol of “chill”.
22. Japanese capybaras take winter hot-spring baths. The tradition began by accident in 1982 at Izu Shaboten Zoo. See our full guide to capybara hot springs.
23. Some baths come with yuzu fruit. Zoos float the citrus in the water, following the Japanese winter custom of the yuzu bath.
24. They are popular plush animals. Their round body, small ears and relaxed face translate perfectly into soft toys, from 30 cm desk buddies to 130 cm giants.
25. They live for up to about a decade. San Diego Zoo lists up to 10 years in the wild and up to 12 in expert care.

Can You Have a Capybara as a Pet?

Keeping a capybara as a pet is legal in some places and banned or permit-only in others, so always check the rules where you live. Capybaras are social and need other capybaras, lots of space, water deep enough to swim in, a specialist diet and an exotic-animal vet.

For most capybara fans, a plush is the easier way to bring one home. Ours are recommended for ages 3 and up:

• Giant Capybara Plush: 50, 90 or 130 cm (19.6–51.1 in), from $50.99.
• Cozy Capybara Plush with Scarf: 35 cm (13.7 in), $35.99.
• Capybaras with Red Hats and Plush Hamburgers: 30 or 40 cm (11.8 or 15.7 in), from $90.99.

Browse all our capybara plushies, and find the perfect name in our list of 600 capybara names.

Capybara vs Guinea Pig: How Do They Compare?

Capybaras and guinea pigs are close relatives in the same family, Caviidae, but a capybara is roughly fifty times heavier. Both are social, plant-eating rodents that communicate with a range of squeaks and purr-like sounds, yet their lives look very different.

So if you have ever looked at a capybara and thought “giant guinea pig”, you were not far off. The capybara is simply the supersized, swimming version of the family.

Where Do Capybaras Live in the Wild?

Capybaras live across much of South America, east of the Andes, wherever there is water and grass to graze. They are found in seasonally flooded grasslands, forests near rivers, marshes and lake shores. Two of the best-known capybara strongholds are Brazil’s Pantanal, one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands, and the Llanos grasslands of Venezuela and Colombia.

Because they rely on water to cool off and escape predators, capybaras rarely stray far from it. In the dry season, herds gather around the pools and rivers that remain, which is when they are easiest to spot.

FAQs

Are capybaras rodents?

Yes. Capybaras are rodents and belong to the same family as guinea pigs, Caviidae. They are the largest rodents alive today.

How big do capybaras get?

Adult capybaras usually weigh about 35–65 kg (77–143 lb) and measure roughly 1–1.3 m (3.3–4.3 ft) long.

Can capybaras swim?

Capybaras are excellent swimmers. Their slightly webbed feet help them paddle, and they can stay underwater for up to five minutes to avoid danger.

Where do capybaras live?

Capybaras live in South America, in grasslands, forests and wetlands close to water. They are especially common in wetland regions such as Brazil’s Pantanal and the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia.

Why are capybaras so calm?

Capybaras spend much of the day resting, soaking and grazing, and as large herbivores they have little reason to react to small, harmless animals. They are still wild animals and will flee or defend themselves if threatened.

Are capybaras endangered?

No. The capybara is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, because it is widespread and common across much of South America. Local populations can still face pressure from hunting and habitat loss.

What do capybaras eat in zoos?

In zoos, capybaras usually eat grass and hay, plus vegetables and specially formulated pellets that keep their teeth and digestion healthy. Keepers sometimes add treats such as fruit or, in Japan, yuzu during winter baths.

Do capybaras make good school project animals?

Capybaras are a great school project topic because they combine surprising facts (largest rodent, holds its breath for five minutes) with an easy-to-draw shape. A plush capybara also makes a fun prop for presentations.

Love facts about cute animals? Explore our kawaii stuffed animals, read the history of stuffed animals, or visit the My Heart Teddy homepage.