the South American water-pig or Capybara (Hydrochaerus hydrochaeris) is the single representative of the family Wasserschweine and the biggest living rodent at all. It populates a very extended spread-area of Panama with several subtypes as far as to the Rio de la Plata southwards.
The native names for the water-pig, Capybara or Capyvara, derive from a Native American-language and mean so much like "master of the grass." The German name, although, it is not about pigs!) somewhat unfortunately, refers on the big, clumsy shape and the bristly fur.
Shape This mighty rodent still reminds of a high-legged guinea pig despite its size (head-torso-length until 130 cm) remotely and documents its relationship with it to this form-circle. Gone round the bend, old copies can reach up to 50 kg of weight.
The bristly and sparse fur is from bay to brown-yellow color. At the big, dully rounded off head fells the split waiter-lip, that far to the back and above postponed, protuberant eyes and the surprisingly small ears on. The very short tail is to be hardly discovered. The white Nagezähne are especially strongly trained: they become up to 2 cm broadly. Between the hoof-similar one(s), 4 fore ones and 3 rear toes find short swimming-skins we, through what the animals to the one as Weidegänger, to the other however also as good swimmers is marked.
Way of life Water-pigs are to always be found near waters. they feel in loosened up forest-continuances with cover-rich sub-growth or in extended, high-grown particularly well and versumpften grass-halls. There, they live sociably in smaller stoves of 3 to at most 30 animals. At its pasture-walks, they act as mighty gluttons. In shore-proximity, grass, herbs and bark are consumed predominantly at country, or the animals seek, deep in the water standing, after water-plants. They can do themselves in plantations at rice, sugarcane and watermelons amicably also already once.
Water-pigs don't position any holes. Probably however, the herds has prefer places at protected shore-places, that they visit again and again. With danger, they escape with intent shouting into the water where they swim with an agility and dive that one expects these massive animals not at all. At country, Capybaras move quite leisurely, can, however, if it does necessary, huge sentences do.
The animals day-actively are in remote regions, transfers, however, where they are worried, its activity of the night and into the twilight.
Reproduction Water-pigs toss only once per year. The sexually mature "bucks" are to be decided on the nose-back, that exudes one mochusartigen smell, particularly to the Brunftzeit at a big tallow-gland. The males verpaaren itself with the females, of whom they gathered a whole herd about itself, under loud shouting and Gepfeife.
The females bear 2-8 kids after a long Tragzeit of 165-170 days. In the birth, the babies are so far heavily and already developed already 1,5-2 kg that they can immediately follow the mother. they get started also soon to gnaw at tender plant-parts. The boys are independently after a Säugezeit of approximately 2 months and are tolerated by the mother no more in its proximity. Mother and young communicate through quietly whistles and grunt-lutes. The maximum-age is with 8-10 years.
Continuance Water-pigs are widespread and frequent.
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