Capybaras, the world’s largest rodents, are semi-aquatic. Native to South America, they thrive in diverse habitats, particularly around wetlands, rivers, and lakes. Their presence in these watery environments is closely linked to their dietary needs and habits. This article explores the capybara’s diet and eating habits.
The Capybara’s Staple Diet
Capybaras are primarily herbivores, relying heavily on a diet rich in grasses and aquatic plants. Their continuously growing teeth are well-suited for grinding down tough fibrous vegetation, which forms the bulk of their daily intake. An adult capybara can consume between 2.7 to 3.6 kilograms (6 to 8 pounds) of fresh grass each day. This constant grazing is essential for nutrition and for wearing down their teeth.
Their digestive system is uniquely adapted to process this high-fiber diet. As hindgut fermenters, capybaras possess a large cecum, a specialized chamber in their intestines that facilitates the breakdown of cellulose. This allows efficient nutrient extraction from tough plant matter. Common grasses in their diet include Bermuda grass, Panic grass, sedges, switchgrass, and crowngrass. They also readily consume aquatic vegetation such as water hyacinths and water lettuce, which are abundant in their watery habitats.
During the wet season, when plant growth is lush, capybaras have ample access to these primary food sources. However, their diet shifts with the changing seasons, especially in the dry season. When fresh grasses and aquatic plants become scarce, they adapt by foraging on less palatable options. This seasonal flexibility includes consuming reeds, grains, melons, squashes, and even the bark of trees and shrubs.
Picky Eaters? Preferred Foods and Habits
While capybaras are not considered overly picky eaters, they do exhibit specific preferences and unique feeding behaviors. In the wet season, with an abundance of nutritious vegetation, they tend to be more selective, favoring the most palatable grasses available. This selectivity ensures they maximize their nutrient intake when food quality is high. Conversely, during drier periods, they become more opportunistic, consuming whatever is available, including tougher plant parts.
A remarkable aspect of the capybara’s digestive strategy is coprophagy, the practice of eating their own feces. This behavior allows them to re-ingest undigested nutrients and beneficial bacteria. Capybaras produce two distinct types of feces: soft, nutrient-rich pellets, often called cecotrophs, which they consume directly from the anus, and harder, less nutritious waste. This re-ingestion typically occurs in the morning, optimizing the absorption of vitamins and protein from their fibrous diet.
Beyond their staple grasses and aquatic plants, capybaras also consume fruits and vegetables when available. These provide additional vitamins and minerals, though fruits are typically eaten in moderation due to their sugar content. They also chew on bark, which provides some nutrition and helps wear down their teeth.