- Michael Smyth
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
The Capybara is the largest (and chillest!!!) living rodent in the world.
With billions of views on TikTok, capybaras are frequently featured in videos set to catchy music, such as the "Capybara Song". They are portrayed as "living furniture" or affectionate friends to other species (e.g., birds, turtles, monkeys), creating wholesome, viral content. In recent years, they’ve become among the internet’s most famous animals.
Back in the real world, these semiaquatic mammals, native to all countries in South America, except Chile, can be found in Paraty. These days they are most frequently spotted on a branch of the Pereque-Acu river near Jabaquara beach
As they tend to live in or near bodies of water including rivers and mangrove, Capybaras are best seen from the water on a kayak tour.
Want to find out more about Capybaras? Then read on...
What's in a name?
The name Capybara comes from the TUPI indigenous language and means ‘grass – eater’. As a herbivore it eats mainly grasses and aquatic plants and tends to live in or near bodies of water.
Happy Water Pigs - the latin name of Capybara is Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris which loosely translates as Happy Water Pigs. The genus Hydrochoerus (water pig) and species hydrochaeris (water-loving/happy) highlights their love for swimming and habitats like swamps, rivers, and marshes.
Paraty Explorer’s favourite fun facts about Capybara
They are the biggest rodents! But how big are they?
Up to 60cm tall and 130 cm long the Capybara typically weigh 35kg to 66kg. The females are slightly heavier than the males and the record goes to a Brazilian Capybara who weighed in at 91kg.
They are excellent swimmers with slightly webbed feet. Capybara can spend up to 5 minutes underwater to hide from predators like the jaguar.
They can sleep in water without drowning. They sometimes rest in water with just their noses sticking out. It helps them stay cool and safe from predators at the same time.
They eat their own poop (on purpose). Like many herbivores, capybaras practice coprophagy. The first round of digestion isn’t very efficient, so they re-eat special soft droppings to absorb more nutrients.
They mostly communicate with chirps, whistles, huffs, and purrs but can make dog-like barks when feeling threatened
They’ve become internet icons for “vibe culture”. While not a biological fact, their calm, unbothered demeanour has made them a symbol of relaxation across social media—basically the mascot of “just chilling.”
These are just a few of the fascinating facts about Capybaras. Find out more with our guides on our popular kayak tour to Mangrove, Beaches and Islands where we often see Capybara. Important to let us know of your specific interest in seeing Capybara so we can adjust the route.
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