Capybara
capybara
(also called ‘capibara’)
an animal – mammal; rodent – looks like a small pig, related to rats; semi-aquatic (stays in water most of the time); heavy barrel-like body, short head with a blunt muzzle (mouth and nose part) with reddish-brown hair (coat) spread thinly all over the body; grows to about 4 feet long and 2 ½ to 3 feet tall at the shoulder, and weighs up to 70 Kg.;
relatively short legs with partially webbed-feet (with skin growing between toes, like that of a duck); feeds (eats) on grasses, water plants, fruit and tree bark; lives up to 4 to 8 (or even 10) years; found in and near ponds, lakes, rivers (mostly still waters) of Central and South America
male ~~ male
female ~~ female
baby ~~ pup
group ~~ pack, herd
voice (call) ~~ purr; bark (when frightened); whistles, clicks, squeal and grunt (different sounds for different purposes)
Special Features:
‘Capybara’ in Guarani Indians’ language means ‘master of the grasses’.
It is the largest of all the rodents (= rat and rat related family).
- capybara skin gloves
It is hunted for its meat and skin; the meat looks and tastes like pork (= pig meat), and the skin is very valuable – used for making quality leather, especially gloves.
Observations showed that capybaras have anti-cancer mechanism (cell structure) (blood cells that can fight “leukaemia”, a very dangerous blood cancer in humans) in their blood and body parts!
Mr. Kumar, an English language teacher, having taught in many countries around the world including Ethiopia and Oman shares this English Language Reference website using material that he has written and compiled during the past 20 years.
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