---
title: "Capivara"
description: "Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris — Mamíferos. The capybara or greater capybara is the largest living rodent, native to all countries in South America except Chile."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/pt/animal/capybara
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Capivara

> Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris — Mamíferos. The capybara or greater capybara is the largest living rodent, native to all countries in South America except Chile.

- Scientific name: *Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris*
- Category: `mammals` (Mamíferos)
- Habitats: `forest` (Floresta), `grassland` (Campos e prados), `freshwater` (Lagos e rios), `savanna` (Savana)
- iNaturalist observations: 18397
- Wikidata: [Q131538](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131538)
- iNaturalist taxon: [74442](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/74442)

## Names

- en: Capybara
- de: Wasserschwein
- es: Chigüire
- fr: Grand capybara
- it: Hydrochoeris hydrochaeris
- nl: Capibara
- pt: Capivara
- pl: Kapibara wielka

## Countries with the most observations

BR (8223), AR (3709), BO (1427), CO (727), PE (677), UY (366), EC (160), VE (94), GF (87), PY (61), GY (34), TT (19)

## Summary

The capybara or greater capybara is the largest living rodent, native to all countries in South America except Chile. It is a semiaquatic herbivore that inhabits savannas and dense forests, living near and in bodies of freshwater and feeding mainly on grasses and aquatic plants.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara

## Photo

![Capivara](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/capybara/medium.jpg)

Photo: Whaldener Endo · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/259392072

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/capybara?lang=pt` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).