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C C C C C N S C I E ● ● ● ● Unique Characteristics Predators, Threats&Status dawn. and thengrazebefore They restaroundmidnight avoid theheatofday. They stayinthewaterto comfortable inthewater. They arealsovery fast asahorseonland. The capybaracanrunas endangered. large population,theyarenot Due toitswidedistributionand harpy eaglesthreatencapybaras. anacondas, pumas,caimansand Many predatorsincludingjaguars, Capybara Editable PresentationhostedonGoogleSlides.ClicktoDownload. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Reproduction Description Conservation Organizations week theyoungcaneatgrass. Birth isdoneonlandandwithina young onaverage. They producealitteroffour days long. Their gestationperiodis130-150 the water. The capybaraonlywillmatein muzzles andshort,butstronglegs. Capybaras havebluntheads,heavy They haveastocky,pig-likebody. as muchanadulthuman. It isoverthreefeetlongandcanweigh member oftherodentfamily. The capybaraisthelargestliving monitor howtheyaredoing. thousands ofotherspeciesto changes ofthecapybaraand They researchthepopulation world. conservation organizationsinthe one ofthemostimportant Conservation ofNature(IUCN)is The InternationalUnionforthe ● ● ● ● ● Extended Video &Range Diet rainforests, ,riversandlakes. They arefoundinsavannas, America aswellSouthAmerica. They liveinsouthernCentral the water. The capybaraspendsalotoftimein berries. aquatic plants,fruitsand They mainlyeatgrasses, nutrition. that onlyeatsplantmatterfor The capybaraisaherbivore “A Capybara’sFamily” -(NationalGeographic) Did You Know?

● Capybaras are able to stay underwater for up to five minutes at a time.

● They are social, and often live in groups of between 10-20.

● Capybaras have webbed feet which helps their swimming ability.

● Guinea pigs are close relatives of the capybaras.

● Capybaras are picky eaters and eat mostly grass and some aquatic grass. They will regurgitate their food and chew it several times. They also eat their own poop to provide bacteria that helps in . Capybara - Species Profile -

Description

The capybara is the largest living member of the family. It is over three feet long and can weigh as much as an adult human. They have a stocky, pig-like body. Capybaras have blunt heads, heavy muzzles and short, but strong legs.

Habitat & Range

The capybara spends a lot of time in the water. They live in southern Central America as well as . They are found in , rainforests, ponds, and . Unique Characteristics

The capybara can run as fast as a horse on land. They are also very comfortable in the water and stay in it to avoid the heat of the day. They rest around midnight and then graze before dawn.

Reproduction

The capybara only will mate in the water. Their gestation period is 130-150 days long. They produce a litter of four young on average. Birth is done on land and within a week the young can eat grass. Diet

The capybara is a that only eats plant matter for wild Facts nutrition. They mainly eat grasses, aquatic plants, and Scientific berries. Name hydrochaeris

Predators, Threats & Conservation Weight 75 – 150 lbs

Many predators including , anacondas, pumas, and harpy threaten capybaras. Due to its wide distribution Length 3.5 – 4.5 ft and large population, they are not endangered.

Conservation Organizations Lifespan 4 – 10 years

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is Rock Cavies, one of the most important conservation organizations in the Closest Guinea Pigs & world. They research the population changes of the capybara and Relatives Maras thousands of other species to monitor how they are doing. You can learn more at http://support.iucnredlist.org © Clark Creative Education Reflection Questions Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. Before you read the article, what did you know about capybaras? What new information is most interesting to you?

2. If you were describing a capybara to someone who had never heard of one, what would you say? Use information from the text.

© Clark Creative Education Capybara - Species Profile -

Description

The capybara is the largest rodent. It can weigh as much as an adult human. They have a stocky, pig- like body. They have a blunt head and short, strong legs.

Habitat & Range

The capybara spends a lot of time in the water. They live in Central America and South America. They are found in rainforests, ponds, rivers and lakes. Unique Characteristics

The capybara can run as fast as a horse. They stay in the water during the day so they don’t get hot. They rest around midnight and then graze before dawn. Reproduction

Females are pregnant for 4 to 5 months. They produce a litter of four young. Birth is done on land. Within a week the young can eat grass. Diet wild Facts The capybara only eats plant matter for nutrition. They Scientific Hydrochoerus eat grasses, fruits and berries. Name hydrochaeris

Predators, Threats & Conservation Weight 75 – 150 lbs that prey on capybaras include snakes and jaguars. They are not in danger of becoming extinct. Length 3.5 – 4.5 ft Conservation Organizations Lifespan 4 – 10 years The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an important group. They study the capybara Rock Cavies, Closest and thousands of other species. You can learn more at Guinea Pigs & Relatives http://support.iucnredlist.org Maras

© Clark Creative Education Reflection Questions Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. What is the most interesting thing about capybaras? Use information from the text.

2. How would you describe capybaras to someone who had never heard of one?

© Clark Creative Education