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A brown capybara resting on a sandy riverbank.
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

The world's largest rodent, a grass-eating swimmer of South American riverbanks that lives in groups.

🐭 Rodents
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About the Capybara

Capybaras live east of the Andes in Central and South America, on riverbanks, beside ponds and in marshes. An adult eats 6 to 8 pounds of grass a day. Capybaras have webbed feet and can stay underwater for up to five minutes. Their eyes, ears and nostrils are all near the top of the head.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris[2]
Size
3.2 to 4.2 feet (100 to 130 cm) long and about 1.6 feet (50 cm) tall at the shoulder.[1]
Weight
60 to 174 pounds (27 to 79 kg).[1]
Lifespan
Up to 10 years in the wild. Up to 12 years in human care.[1]
Diet
Herbivore. Grasses: 6 to 8 pounds a day.[1]
Habitat
Riverbanks, ponds and marshes.[1]
Where it lives
Central and South America, east of the Andes.[1]
Group life
Groups of about 10, up to 40 in the wet season.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts 5 to 6 months. Up to 8 pups, usually about 5.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • The capybara is the largest rodent in the world.[1]
  • A capybara can stay underwater for up to five minutes.[1]
  • In the 1500s, the Catholic Church classified capybaras as fish.[1]
  • Capybaras eat their own droppings to get helpful bacteria for digesting grass.[1]

Vocabulary

rodent
A mammal with front teeth that keep growing, such as mice, beavers and capybaras.
webbed feet
Feet with skin between the toes that helps with swimming.
bacteria
Tiny living things; some help animals digest food.
marsh
Low, wet land covered with grasses and reeds.
herbivore
An animal that eats only plants.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Capybara.” https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/capybara (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Capybara).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10300/22190005 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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