The Capybara is commonly referred to as the world’s biggest rat. Capybaras are in fact the world’s biggest rodent, and are actually more closely related to guinea pigs and rock cavies. “The world’s biggest rat” is also distantly related to the common Agouti, the Coypu, and the more well-known Chinchilla. These are highly social animals and you can find them in South America in groups as large as 100 members!
How big is the world’s biggest rat?
The adult Capybara stands from 20 to 24 inches tall, and measures from 3.48 to 4.40 feet in length. And what does the world’s biggest rat weigh? Would you believe the Capybara weighs from 77 to 146 pounds? The average weight of a Capybara is 108 pounds. The heaviest Capybara on record so far is 201 pounds!
The Capybara Diet
Capybaras are herbivores. They like to eat grass, aquatic plants, fruit, and tree bark.
Predation
Even though the world’s biggest rat should have a life span of about 8 to 10 years, they typically only live on average for 4 years in the wild. Capybara are preferred prey for many predators in the wild including puma, jaguar, eagle, caiman, ocelot and the anaconda.
Capybara Ecology
Semi-aquatic animals, Capybaras live mostly throughout South America. They prefer dense forested areas with a water supply and can be found near bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, and swamps. You can also find Capybaras in the United States in Florida.
Reproduction
With gestation of about 130 to 150 days, the average Capybara litter produces an average of 4 babies.
What do they do all day?
The Capybara run as fast as a horse and are outstanding swimmers. They can be submerged under water for as long as five minutes, and use this ability to avoid their predators. In fact, they sleep in the water with their noses slightly above the waterline. Capybaras spend most of their days grazing, swimming and basking in the mud. The Capybara was not always the world’s biggest rat. Now extinct, the Josephoartigasia monesi was estimated to measure 10 feet, with a height of 5 feet, and an average weight of 2,000 pounds!
How would you like to find THAT in your basement?…
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara
Most likely, you don’t have a Capybara in your home or building. But when you spot a rat, it usually seems like it’s the world’s biggest rat. Contact Titanium Laboratories right away and we’ll swiftly get rid of it.
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