Are capybaras endangered?

Listed here as Least Concern. Check IUCN and national lists for the latest assessment.

Capybara: Key Facts & Natural History

Overview

The capybara is the largest living rodent, a barrel-shaped, semi-aquatic herbivore from the wetlands and grasslands of South America. Adults can weigh up to 65 kg (143 lb) and stand about 0.6 m (2 ft) tall, with partially webbed feet for swimming. Highly social, capybaras live in groups near water, grazing on grasses and aquatic plants, and are known for their remarkably calm, friendly demeanor. In the wild they typically live 8 to 10 years.

Biology

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is classified as Mammal with conservation status Least Concern. Typical weight 35–65 kg (77–143 lb); lifespan around 8–10 years in the wild.

Ecology

Diet: Herbivore (grazer). Habitat: Wetlands, riverbanks, and grasslands. Movement and social systems reflect those pressures.

People and this species

Learn before you travel or keep related pets. Wild individuals are not toys; captive care needs species-specific husbandry.

Behavior and social life

Capybaras are highly social and usually live in groups of around 10 to 20, sometimes far larger near abundant water in the dry season. Groups are led by a dominant male and communicate through barks, whistles, purrs, and scent marking. They are semi-aquatic and take to water to feed, cool off, and escape predators, and they can stay submerged for several minutes. Their calm temperament has made them famous for tolerating the company of many other animals.

Diet and digestion

Capybaras are grazing herbivores that feed mainly on grasses and aquatic plants, supplementing their diet with fruit and bark in the dry season. Like rabbits, they practice coprophagy, eating some of their own droppings to extract more nutrients from tough, fibrous plants. Their teeth grow continuously to cope with the wear of grinding vegetation. An adult can eat several kilograms of grass each day.

Habitat and range

Capybaras live across much of South America east of the Andes, in countries including Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina. They are always found near water, inhabiting marshes, riverbanks, flooded grasslands, and the edges of lakes and ponds. Water is central to their lives, providing food, escape from predators, and relief from the heat. They are well adapted to seasonally flooded landscapes such as the Pantanal and Llanos.

Predators and conservation

As large, abundant herbivores, capybaras are important prey for jaguars, pumas, caimans, and anacondas, and the young are vulnerable to many predators. They are listed as Least Concern, with healthy populations across their range, and are even farmed in some areas for meat and leather. Their habit of staying near water makes wetland conservation important for them. In some regions they have adapted well to human-altered landscapes and even urban parks.

Research notes

Figures for capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) come from field studies, museum records, and conservation assessments that do not always agree on exact averages. Prefer ranges over single-point claims, and check whether a source describes wild, captive, or mixed populations.

Practical takeaways

If you encounter capybaras in the wild, prioritise distance and local guidance. If you care for related domestic or captive animals, match diet and housing to species needs rather than generic pet advice. Share accurate status information (Least Concern) when discussing conservation.