LifespanUp to 7 years in the wild, up to 10 years under human care
Quick Facts
DietGrasses, aquatic plants, fruits, tree bark
HabitatDense vegetation, near rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes and swamps
RangeNorthern and central regions of South America
Capybaras
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Big, Fast, & Surprisingly Agile!
Close relatives of guinea pigs and rock cavies with distant ties to chinchillas and agoutis, the capybara is the world’s largest rodent - growing up to 1.3m long and 66kg in weight!
Despite their bulky build, capybaras can sprint up to 35 km/h, faster than a human sprinter! While they can’t run for long, their short bursts of speed help them escape land predators.
Capybara Communication
Capybaras are highly vocal, using barks, chirps, whistles, huffs, and purrs to communicate. They chatter back and forth to stay connected, and when danger arises, a single warning bark can trigger the whole group to join in until the threat is gone.
Splashing To Safety
One of the most fascinating aspects of capybara movement is their effortless transition from land to water, using rivers, lakes, and swamps as escape routes. When threatened, they sprint to the nearest water source to evade predators, diving and staying submerged for up to five minutes!
Despite their heft, capybaras also use their partially webbed feet to swim up to 8 km/h - faster than the average kayak!
Greens & Grains
Capybaras are herbivores with long, sharp teeth for grazing on grass and water plants. Adults can eat up to 5kg of grass daily! During the dry season, they adapt by feeding on reeds, grains, melons, and squashes.
Our capybaras enjoy a mix of carrots, turnip, sweet potato, pumpkin, apples, pears, cabbage, lettuce, sweet potato leaves and long beans, along with Napier grass, water grass, and hay. To keep them engaged, food is scattered or hidden in grass bundles, encouraging natural foraging behaviour.
Meet Our Capybaras
“Moe” - A River Wonders Legend
Meet “Moe”, our ten-year old capybara! Once the smallest and shyest, he learned by watching his brothers, mastering new skills rapidly. While he’s always eager to take on all forms of enrichment, his favourite activity is still running over to his fellow capybaras for a chat!
A true foodie, he adores corn and apples (his special reward during conditioning), saving sweet potatoes and carrots for last. While Moe can be slightly picky with his handlers, he always retains his friendly and relaxed demeanour.
Catch this fan favourite at River Wonders’ daily “Once Upon a River" presentation!
Amazonia Encounters
You can also meet some of our capybaras, like “Bonita” and “Muniek”, at Amazonia Encounters - the only exhibit in River Wonders where you step right into their world and share the same environment as the animals! Just remember to keep a safe distance to ensure a stress-free experience for both you and the animals!
