The capybara is native to South America and is the largest rodent in the entire world.
An adult capybara is usually between 20 and 24 inches tall and has a stocky body covered in brown fur.
Other prominent features of the capybara include its small, round ears and webbed feet!
Capybaras are semi-aquatic mammals and spend most of their time in or around water.
Not only do capybaras get their food from the water, but they can stay underwater for up to five minutes to hide from predators.
While capybaras always stay close to the water, they sleep in large burrows underground.
The capybara is a very social animal and usually lives in groups of 10.
Capybara are herbivores that mainly feed on aquatic plants.
15 Animals Like Capybara
With more than 1,500 rodent species living in the world today, there are quite a few animals that share characteristics with capybaras.
Here are some of the animals that resemble this giant rodent.
Beaver in nature | image by Deborah Freeman via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why beavers are like capybara: Like capybara, beavers are large rodents that live near water
While capybaras live in South America, beavers are native to North America.
These two animals may have different homes, but they both live near water and are some of the largest creatures in the rodent family.
Like capybaras, beavers have webbed feet and brown fur.
Why guinea pigs are like capybaras: Guinea pigs and capybaras are both part of the cavy family
The guinea pig and the capybara are very close relatives!
Both animals are Cavies, a group of herbivorous mice that originated in South America.
Although the guinea pig once lived in the Andes mountains, it has been domesticated and can no longer be found in the wild.
Why porcupines are like capybara: Porcupines are not as big as capybaras, but they are the third largest living rodents
Although some porcupine species are larger than others, they are still one of the largest rodents in the world today.
Like capybaras, porcupines are excellent swimmers, and their hollow quills even help them float!
Nutria catches food | image by 7C0 via Flickr | CC BY 2.0
Why nutria are like capybara: Both animals are large, semi-aquatic rodents that live in burrows
With an average weight of 14 pounds, the nutria is much smaller than the capybara, but the two animals look similar thanks to their round ears and small eyes.
Nutria are native to South America, but are now found in many parts of the world, including North America and Europe.
They have webbed feet and are faster in the water than on land.
Nutria also live in burrows or nests near the edges of bodies of water.
You might also like: 15 of the Most Acrobatic Animals on the Planet5.
Mara adults on the grass field | image by Richard Gillin via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why maras are like capybara: Mara look like rabbits, but they are actually rodents closely related to capybara
Like capybara, maras are part of the cavi family.
While both animals have stocky bodies, maras have long ears that make it look like a rabbit or hare.
Maras graze on vegetation and live in underground burrows.
Why pacarana is like capybara: Like capybara, pacarana has big heads and a barrel-shaped body
It is native to South America, where it makes its home in the rainforest and Andes mountain region.
The pacarana is comfortable in the water and has even been seen bathing itself, earning the nickname “shower rat“. Paracana are social animals and usually live in groups of four or five.
A Muskrat floats on the pond | image by Scott Heron via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why muskrats are like capybara: These large rodents live along the water and feed on aquatic plants
Just like capybaras, muskrats are semi-aquatic rodents that get most of their food from the water.
Every day, a muskrat eats about a third of its weight in food.
The muskrat builds its nest in tree stumps close to bodies of water.
Why badgers are like capybara: Both of these animals have large front teeth that help them chew through plants
The teeth of capybaras and badgers are very similar, including long front teeth that they use to chew through plants and wood.
Groundhogs are large rodents that use their sharp claws to dig underground holes.
It is a herbivore found throughout North America.
A badger can eat up to a pound of food in one sitting and use its fat stores to hibernate during the winter.
Hutia resting on the ground | image by Marie Hale via Flickr | CC BY 2.0
Why a hutia is like a capybara: The hutia is a gavi-like rodent that closely resembles the capybara
The hutia is a fairly large rodent that looks like it could be a member of the cavi family.
Some species of hutia are arboreal, but others are like capybara and spend most of their time near the water.
Image by Lubos Houska from Pixabay
Why gophers are similar to capybara: These animals are both burrowing rodents with sharp claws and teeth
Like capybara, gophers have sharp claws that they can use to dig holes underground.
There are a total of 34 species of gopher, all found in North America.
Gophers can thrive in many habitats, but prefer to be near water where the soil is moist.
The gopher is a strict herbivore that can eat up to 60% of its body weight per day.
Water voles eat green plants | image by Peter Trimming via Flickr | CC BY 2.0
Why water mice are like capybara: Both animals are semi-aquatic rodents with round, fuzzy ears
Water voles and capybaras have a blunt nose, small black eyes, and round ears.
You may also like: 7 Animals That Live Near VolcanoesThe vole settles along rivers and streams, where it has easy access to grasses and marine vegetation.
Water voles are native to England and are considered an endangered species.
lowland paca | image by mliu92 via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why pacas are similar to capybara: The two animals are closely related and have similar characteristics
Although pacas and capybaras look very similar, some pac species have spotted coats.
The paca is usually nocturnal, but is sometimes more active around dusk or dawn.
It can be very aggressive towards other animals, including other packas.
Gundi standing with a tree trunk | image by Tambako The Jagua via Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0
Why Gundi is like capybara: Similar to capybara, gundi have stocky bodies and round ears
The gundi is a small rodent, but like the capybara, it is a strict herbivore with round ears and a stocky, barrel-shaped body.
Some kangaroos have short, guinea pig-like tails, but other species have large, fan-like tails.
Agouti eating his food | image by Leonora (Ellie) Enking via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why is an agouti like a capybara: The agouti is a South American rodent with a round body and small ears and eyes
This rodent likes to eat nuts and seeds and often buries them to save for the future, allowing new plants to grow.
An agouti can grow to be more than two feet long and usually weighs about 13 pounds.
| image by Dave Bezaire via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why sea otters are similar to capybara: These animals are semi-aquatic and have webbed feet
Sea otters are weasels, not rodents, but they still share many characteristics with capybaras.
These key species have webbed feet which help them to swim and spend most of their time in the water.
The sea otter is a carnivore and eats animals that feed on the sea grass that capybaras eat!
While the sea otter can walk on land, it is not unusual for this mammal to spend its entire life in the water.