A real invasion. This was proven by the Argentine media about two years ago. 400 capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) have been spotted roaming freely in Nordelta, one of Argentina’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.is located in Buenos Aires. It is a giant mouse species that can reach 1.30 meters in length and 65 kilograms in weight. The animals, which had always lived with their neighbors, multiplied rapidly and began to wreak havoc: they fought with cats and dogs, caused traffic accidents, destroyed green spaces. These large rodents continued to be urban, mainly because of their incredible ability to eat whatever is in front of them.
There was an article published in the magazine. Journal of Zoology who sheds light on this animal’s diet widespread in many cities around the world.. Capybaras live naturally in large grasslands, wetlands and rivers in South America. Herbivores, at least this is reflected in their name, which literally means ‘grass eater’ in the Tupi language native to Brazil and other parts of South America. However, herbs are not the only things they can eat.
capybaras They left the dense grasslands and settled in the garden areas of some cities.demands his place one day. Another example is São Paulo, Brazil’s most densely populated metropolis, where they occupy university campuses. They also navigate trails and dense crop fields, providing easy access to high-calorie crops.
It was certainly the specimens placed in the Brazilian capital that provided an explanation for this unprecedented invasion. Marcelo Maglioli, an ecologist at the University of Sao Paulo and the National Center for the Research and Conservation of Carnivorous Mammals (CENAP), led this study, which examined the plumage of 210 capybaras from 13 different population groups within the country. to find out what kind of nutrition they have through analysis of stable carbon isotopes—some natural and others anthropized.
They eat everything and adapt to everything.
Their findings show that: the flexibility of the capybara diet helped them survive in places that have nothing to do with lush tropical forests, and even in places ripped apart by roads, fields and other changes that man has made over the past 50 years.
While they are accustomed to eating grasses and tropical plants, capybaras that settle near farmlands are just as happy to grow maize or sugarcane (pastures). In urban areas they prefer shrubs, trees, vines and even some cacti.
“Our study provides evidence of the feeding flexibility of capybaras in different environments,” the researchers said in the study, emphasizing the idea that this is what explains this adaptation of the species. “the flexibility to survive and even thrive in both natural and man-modified environments.”
“I think what impresses me most about the behavior of this species is that they can quickly switch between preferred (like plants) and non-preferred (grass) foods to survive in almost any habitat,” Maglioli said. Said. A statement to the journal Science News.
While this flexible diet is an improvement for the adaptation of capybaras undergoing major changes in their ecosystems, not everything is so beneficial. The study also warns that capybaras fed on crops tend to gain more weight and suffer from health problems.
Many problems for the population
Becoming stamp a ‘plague’ for farmers, and they often cause more accidents involving people because they are running between cars.
Finally, their presence in major cities also increases the likelihood. transmission of diseases to societybecause the ticks that infect them can transmit the deadly Brazilian spotted fever to humans.
In this sense, Maglioli reminds us of the importance of reconnecting fragmented lands to allow natural hunters to control capybara populations, reduce contact with humans and restore ecological balance.
HOW IS CAPIBARA?
(or) capybaracapybara or capybara (hydrocoerus hydrocyaria) is a species of rodent in the family Cavidae native to South America. It is the largest and heaviest living rodent in the world, reaching 1.30 meters in length and weighing 65 kilograms. The other extant member of this genus is the small capybara (Hydrochoerus isthmius). Close relatives include guinea pigs and mocós, and are more distantly related to the agouti, chinchilla, and coypu. It inhabits wetlands and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a very social species and can be found in groups of up to a hundred individuals, but usually lives in groups of ten to twenty individuals. The animal is hunted for its meat and skin, as well as the oil obtained from its skin.
Reference work: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jzo.13057