Quick answer: The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world’s largest living rodent. Adults are about 106–134 cm (3.5–4.4 ft) long, stand 50–62 cm (20–24 in) at the shoulder and usually weigh 35–66 kg (77–146 lb). They live in groups near water across much of South America east of the Andes, graze on grasses and water plants, can stay underwater for up to five minutes, and live about 6 years in the wild and up to 12 in zoos. The IUCN lists them as Least Concern.
Capybaras look like a cross between a guinea pig, a beaver and a small hippo, and they’ve become one of the internet’s favorite animals. This guide brings together the key capybara facts in one place: what they are, how big they get, where they live, what they eat, how their groups work, how they raise their young and how they’re doing in the wild. Each section links to a more detailed CapybaraMag article if you want to dig deeper. Figures come from the University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web (ADW) and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance unless noted. Sources are listed at the end.
Jump to a Section
- Capybara facts at a glance
- What is a capybara?
- Size and appearance
- Body built for water
- Where capybaras live
- What capybaras eat
- Social life and behavior
- Sounds and scent
- Reproduction and babies
- Lifespan and health
- Predators and survival
- Conservation status
- Capybaras and people
- Fun facts
- Frequently asked questions
- All our capybara fact guides
Capybara Facts at a Glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris |
| Family | Caviidae (the cavy family, with guinea pigs and rock cavies) |
| Length | 106–134 cm (about 3.5–4.4 ft) |
| Shoulder height | 50–62 cm (20–24 in) |
| Weight | Usually 35–66 kg (77–146 lb); females are slightly larger than males |
| Range | South America east of the Andes, from Colombia and Venezuela to northern Argentina and Uruguay |
| Habitat | Wetlands, flooded grasslands, riverbanks, marsh edges and lowland forest near water |
| Diet | Herbivore: mainly grasses and aquatic plants |
| Group size | Usually around 10 adults, from about 3 to 30, with larger gatherings at water in the dry season |
| Gestation | About 150 days (5 months) |
| Litter size | 2–8 pups, average 4 |
| Lifespan | About 6 years in the wild (up to 10); up to 12 years in human care |
| Main predators | Jaguars, anacondas, caimans and humans; young also fall to ocelots and harpy eagles |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List) |
What Is a Capybara?
A capybara is a large, semi-aquatic rodent from South America. Yes, it really is a rodent, in the same order (Rodentia) as mice, squirrels and porcupines. Its closest living relatives are the rock cavies and guinea pigs, which is why a capybara looks a lot like a supersized guinea pig. We explain the family tree in Are Capybaras Rodents?
There are two living species in the genus Hydrochoerus:
- Capybara (H. hydrochaeris): the familiar species found over most of South America, and the subject of this guide.
- Lesser capybara (H. isthmius): a smaller relative found in Panama and northwestern South America. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance lists it alongside the capybara.
Where the Name Comes From
The common name comes from the Tupi language of Brazil. It is usually translated as “one who eats slender leaves” or simply “grass-eater.” The scientific name is Greek: Hydrochoerus means “water hog,” a nod to the animal’s pig-like build and love of water. Want to pronounce it like a local? See our guide to how to pronounce capybara.
Size and Appearance
Capybaras are by far the largest living rodents. According to ADW, adults weigh 35 to 66 kg (77 to 145 lb), measure 106 to 134 cm (about 42 to 53 in) long, and stand up to about 60 cm (2 ft) at the shoulder. Females are slightly larger than males. Unusually large individuals have been recorded too: Wikipedia’s summary of the scientific literature cites a wild female from Brazil that weighed 91 kg (201 lb).
The body is barrel-shaped and sturdy, with a big blunt head, small ears and short legs. The front legs are a little shorter than the hind legs. Capybaras have only a tiny, vestigial tail, so they look tailless.
The fur is coarse and thin. It is reddish brown over most of the body and turns yellowish brown on the belly, sometimes with darker hair on the face. Capybara hair has no soft underfur, which is one reason they handle heat and water well but don’t cope with real cold. For a full size breakdown, including how capybaras compare to people and other animals, read How Big Do Capybaras Get? Curious about the rare pale ones? See albino capybaras.
Teeth That Never Stop Growing
Like all rodents, capybaras have large front incisors that grow throughout life and are worn down by constant gnawing and grazing. Capybaras have 20 teeth in total, and their cheek teeth also grow continuously, which helps them cope with a diet of tough, abrasive grass. Our capybara teeth guide covers how their teeth work and what can go wrong.
A Body Built for Water
Capybaras are semi-aquatic, and their bodies show it:
- Partly webbed feet. They have four toes on each front foot and three on each hind foot, joined by partial webbing that helps them paddle.
- Eyes, ears and nostrils on top of the head. Like a hippo, a capybara can keep almost its whole body underwater while still seeing, hearing and breathing.
- Breath-holding. Both ADW and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance report that capybaras can stay completely submerged for up to five minutes to hide from predators.
- Near-neutral buoyancy. ADW notes that their bodies are only slightly denser than water, which makes swimming easy.
Water also keeps them cool. Because they’re large, capybaras are prone to heat stress, so they spend the hottest part of the day in water or mud and are most active around dawn and dusk. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance adds that their skin is dry, so a capybara needs regular access to water to stay healthy. Learn more in Can Capybaras Swim? and How Fast Can a Capybara Run?
Where Do Capybaras Live?
Wild capybaras live only in Central and South America. ADW describes the range as most of Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Colombia, extending south into the Argentine pampas and west to the Andes. The lesser capybara lives further north and west, in Panama and northwestern South America.
Whatever the landscape, the key requirement is water. Capybaras favor flooded grasslands, marsh edges and lowland forests with year-round water and good grazing, but they also use dry forest, scrub and grassland as long as there’s a river, lake, pond or swamp nearby. Big wetlands such as Brazil’s Pantanal and Venezuela’s Llanos are famous for their capybara herds.
Capybaras also adapt surprisingly well to people. In parts of South America they have moved into city parks, suburbs and the shores of urban lakes and reservoirs. Escaped capybaras are occasionally reported in other countries, including the United States. If you’d like to see one in person, our guides to zoos with capybaras by state and to capybara hot springs in Japan are good starting points.
What Do Capybaras Eat?
Capybaras are herbivores, and specifically grazers. They feed mainly on grasses and aquatic plants and occasionally eat bark and fruit. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says an adult can eat 6 to 8 lb (2.7 to 3.6 kg) of grass a day, and about 75 percent of a capybara’s diet can come from just three to six plant species. In the dry season, when fresh grass runs short, they turn to reeds, grains, melons and squashes, which is why they’re sometimes unpopular with farmers.
Grass is hard to digest, and capybaras have some unusual ways of getting the most from it:
- Eating their own droppings. Capybaras are coprophagous. ADW notes that they spend part of each morning re-eating the previous day’s food in the form of soft feces. This gives their gut a second pass at the nutrients and replenishes helpful gut bacteria.
- Re-chewing. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says capybaras regurgitate food to chew it again, a little like cows chewing cud, even though they aren’t ruminants.
- Grinding jaws. They chew with a grinding, back-and-forth motion that breaks down tough plant fibers.
Like guinea pigs, capybaras can’t make their own vitamin C, so captive capybaras need it in their diet. Get the full picture in What Do Capybaras Eat? Ever wondered about the photos of capybaras with fruit on their heads? We explain that in Why Do Capybaras Like Oranges?
Social Life and Behavior
Capybaras are highly social. ADW reports that they typically live in groups of around 10 adults of both sexes, with group sizes ranging from about 3 to 30. Much larger gatherings form around shrinking water sources in the dry season. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance describes a typical group as a dominant male, one or more females, one or more subordinate males and several young.
Groups are stable. Membership rarely changes, and ADW notes that a group can hold the same territory, with its feeding and wallowing sites, for more than three years. Males have a strict dominance hierarchy that’s enforced mostly by chasing, and only rarely by real fights. Living in a group matters enormously for survival: a lone capybara is shut out of the best grazing and has little chance of finding a mate, so solitary capybaras are seldom seen. We go deeper in How Capybara Herds Work.
Why Do Capybaras Seem So Calm?
Capybaras are famous for looking relaxed, and for tolerating birds, monkeys and other animals sitting on or next to them. Part of the reason is ecological. ADW notes that birds such as caracaras and cattle tyrants pick parasites off capybaras or catch the insects they disturb while grazing, so both sides benefit. Capybaras also spend long hours resting, digesting and soaking. That doesn’t mean they’re harmless pets, though. They can bite when stressed. Read Why Are Capybaras So Chill?, Are Capybaras Friendly or Dangerous? and Do Capybaras Bite?
Sounds and Scent: How Capybaras Communicate
Capybaras are chatty animals. According to ADW, young capybaras vocalize almost constantly and adults communicate by sound often. The best-known call is the alarm bark: when one capybara spots danger, its bark often sends the whole group rushing into the water. Other sounds include purrs, whistles, clicks and squeals, which we describe in Capybara Sounds and Communication.
Scent matters just as much. Adult males have a large, bare, dark bump on top of the snout called the morrillo, a scent gland that produces a white secretion. Males rub it on plants to mark territory and to advertise their status. Both sexes also have scent glands near the tail, and ADW notes that the chemical mix they produce is individual enough to help capybaras recognize members of their own group.
Reproduction and Baby Capybaras
Capybaras can breed at any time of year, with a peak at the start of the rainy season. Mating takes place in the water. After a pregnancy of about 150 days, a female gives birth to one litter a year of 2 to 8 pups, with 4 being average (ADW). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance puts birth weight at about 1 to 1.5 kg (2 to 3 lb).
Baby capybaras are precocial. They’re born well developed and can stand and walk shortly after birth. They start grazing within a week, but keep nursing until about three months old. Raising young is a group effort: pups move around together in a crèche and can suckle from other females in the group, who are usually close relatives. Young capybaras stay with their family group until they’re about a year old and reach maturity at around 15 to 18 months, depending on the source. See Baby Capybaras: Birth, Growth and Care for more.
Lifespan and Health
ADW reports that wild capybaras live about 6 years on average, and up to about 10 years. In human care they can reach about 12 years. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance gives the same range: up to 10 years in the wild and up to 12 in expert care. The gap is mostly down to predators, disease and the hazards of life in the wild. Our guide How Long Do Capybaras Live? explains what affects lifespan.
In captivity, common problems include dental overgrowth, skin trouble when they don’t have enough water, and illness linked to poor diet, including scurvy if they don’t get enough vitamin C. We cover symptoms and prevention in Capybara Health Problems. People also often ask whether capybaras are smelly. The answer is in Do Capybaras Smell?
Predators and Survival
Capybaras are an important food source for many large predators. ADW lists jaguars, green anacondas, spectacled caimans and humans as known predators. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance adds that young capybaras are also taken by ocelots and harpy eagles, and calls the jaguar the adult capybara’s main natural predator. Young capybaras are slow and tire easily during their first year, which makes the protection of the group essential.
Their defenses are simple but effective: constant vigilance while grazing, alarm barks, safety in numbers and a quick dash into the water, where they can hide with only their eyes and nostrils showing. Learn more in What Eats Capybaras? and Do Crocodiles or Alligators Eat Capybaras?
Are Capybaras Endangered?
No. The IUCN Red List classifies the capybara as Least Concern, citing its large population, wide distribution and frequent presence in protected areas (as summarized by ADW). That doesn’t mean every population is safe. Some local populations have declined because of over-hunting, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance points to deforestation, habitat destruction and illegal poaching as ongoing threats. Capybaras are also hunted and farmed for meat and leather in parts of their range.
For the full picture, including where capybaras are thriving and where they’re under pressure, read Are Capybaras Endangered?
Capybaras and People
Why Capybaras Were Once Classified as Fish
One of the oddest capybara facts is historical. Both ADW and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance note that, because capybaras live in water, the Catholic Church allowed capybara meat to be eaten during Lent, when other meat was off-limits. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance dates this to the 16th century. Capybara is still eaten during Lent in parts of Venezuela. We tell the full story in Why Capybaras Were Classified as Fish.
Capybaras in Hot Springs
Japan’s winter “capybara onsen” are a big part of the animal’s internet fame. The tradition started at Izu Shaboten Zoo in 1982, when keepers noticed the capybaras relaxing in warm water left over from cleaning. Today several Japanese zoos run winter baths, some with yuzu citrus floating in the water. Our 2026–27 capybara onsen guide has dates, times and travel tips for this season.
Can You Keep a Capybara as a Pet?
In some places, yes, but it’s a big commitment. Capybaras need a companion capybara, a large outdoor space with a pool, a specialist diet and an exotic-animal vet, and they’re illegal or need a permit in many US states and other countries. Before you even consider one, read Can You Keep a Capybara as a Pet?, How Much Does a Capybara Cost? and our capybara laws by state hub. For an honest look at the downsides, see Capybara Downsides.
Capybara Gifts and Merch
If a real capybara isn’t practical (it usually isn’t), there’s no shortage of capybara books, socks, plush toys and puzzles. Browse our capybara gift guide or our roundup of the best capybara plush toys.
Fun Facts About Capybaras
- They sweat. Capybaras have sweat glands in their hairy skin, which is unusual among rodents.
- They have relatives in the fossil record that were even bigger. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance notes that some extinct capybara relatives were twice as long and probably weighed about eight times as much as today’s capybaras. Fossils of the extinct Pinckney’s capybara have been found in Oceanside, in San Diego County, California.
- They mate in the water. According to ADW, mating takes place in water and lasts only a few seconds.
- They’re picky about plants. Most of a capybara’s diet can come from just a handful of plant species.
- They’re sometimes called “water pigs.” That’s what the genus name means, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance points out that they were originally thought to be some kind of pig.
- Their groups share babysitting. Females in a group often nurse each other’s young.
- They help birds, and birds help them. Several bird species pick ticks and other parasites off capybaras or catch insects they flush from the grass.
Need a name for a capybara plush, pet or character? Try our list of capybara names or the animal name generator. For printable fun, see our free capybara coloring pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are capybaras rodents?
Yes. Capybaras belong to the order Rodentia and the cavy family (Caviidae), making them close relatives of guinea pigs and rock cavies. They are the largest living rodents.
How big is a capybara?
Adults are usually about 106–134 cm (3.5–4.4 ft) long and 50–62 cm (20–24 in) tall at the shoulder, and weigh about 35–66 kg (77–146 lb). Females are slightly larger than males.
Where do capybaras live?
In the wild, they live in South America east of the Andes, near rivers, lakes, marshes and flooded grasslands. The smaller lesser capybara lives in Panama and northwestern South America.
What do capybaras eat?
Mainly grasses and aquatic plants. They also eat reeds, grains, melons and squashes when grass is scarce. They re-eat their own soft droppings to get more nutrition from their food.
How long can a capybara stay underwater?
Up to about five minutes, according to ADW and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. They often hide in water with just their eyes and nostrils showing.
How long do capybaras live?
About 6 years on average in the wild, and up to about 10. In zoos and other human care, they can live up to about 12 years.
Are capybaras endangered?
No. The IUCN lists the capybara as Least Concern, although hunting and habitat loss have reduced some local populations.
Why are capybaras so friendly with other animals?
Capybaras are calm, social grazers, and many birds benefit from them by eating parasites off their skin or insects they disturb. They’re tolerant rather than “friendly,” and can still bite if stressed.
Can you have a capybara as a pet?
It depends on where you live. Rules vary by country and US state, and capybaras need a companion, lots of space, water to swim in and specialist care. See our laws by state and pet guide before deciding.
Still have questions? Our Capybara FAQ answers 40 more.
All Our Capybara Fact Guides
Biology and Body
- Are Capybaras Rodents?
- How Big Do Capybaras Get?
- The World’s Largest Rodents
- Capybara Teeth
- Albino Capybaras
- How Long Do Capybaras Live?
- Baby Capybaras
Behavior
- How Capybara Herds Work
- Capybara Sounds and Communication
- Why Are Capybaras So Chill?
- Can Capybaras Swim?
- How Fast Can a Capybara Run?
- Why Do Capybaras Like Oranges?
- Are Capybaras Friendly or Dangerous?
- Do Capybaras Bite?
Ecology and Conservation
- What Do Capybaras Eat?
- What Eats Capybaras?
- Do Crocodiles or Alligators Eat Capybaras?
- Are Capybaras Endangered?
- Capybara Downsides: Disease, Crop Damage and Other Problems
Capybaras and People
- Capybara Hot Springs in Japan (2026–27)
- Where to See Capybaras: Zoos by State
- Why Capybaras Were Classified as Fish
- Can You Keep a Capybara as a Pet?
- Capybara Health Problems
- Capybara FAQ: 40 Questions Answered
Sources: Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (size, range, habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, lifespan, predators, IUCN status); San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Capybara (feet, diet quantities, group make-up, predators, life span, birth weight, fossil relatives, Lent history); Wikipedia: Capybara and the studies it cites (name origin, record weights, fur, sweat glands, dental formula, vitamin C). Last reviewed October 20, 2026.