Capybaras on the loose
TROPICAL ECOLOGY
Capybaras live in herds consisting of both gender with a group size ranging from 5 – 100 individuals. However, a temporary variation in group size can be observed during the dry and wet seasons. For instance, capybaras gather around dwindling lakes during dry seasons to cool down their body, forming associations of 100 or more capybaras. These relationships are temporary and do not interfere the social structure of each group that come around. This is because capybaras form a closed society where they dislike and reject outsiders, making the size and composition of herds relatively stable.
Fun Fact:
Capybaras have a ranking system among the male members.
Who is the alpha male ?
Male dominance hierarchy is the most evident aspect of the capybara society. The male capybaras would have chases and fight over each other to show their dominancy. The winner of this chase will become the new ‘king’ (leader) of the herd. As the ‘king’, the dominant capybara has greater access to resources, such as preferred resting spots and access to mates. Meanwhile, the other males in the group are ranked based on their ability to assert dominance and compete for resources. When the alpha male occasionally disappears (dead or expelled), the remaining male capybaras move up one rank on the ladder to succeed the throne, like a queuing system.
On the other hand, females in the wild do not have a particular social structure or role among them. However, dominancy is observed when the females are held in captivity such as in enclosures or zoos. They adopt aggressive behaviors and may also commit infanticide where they kill the pups of other females from unfamiliar groups.
Advantages of community living
Protection
Group living is discovered to have some advantages on increase protection against predators. The adult capybaras defend the young by forming a circle around the pups with their head facing outwards when they are threatened. In terms of vigilance, subordinate males play a vital role as 'security guards', constantly scanning the surroundings for potential threats and alerting the group through alarm calls.
Communal nursing
On average, female capybaras give birth to 4 to 5 pups every year. Females of a group typically reproduce around the same time, mostly at the end of the wet season. Group living offer communal nursing for newborn capybaras by the mothers, increasing their survival rate. For instance, the newborns can feed on the milk of any mother capybara indiscriminately.
Click on the short clip to watch how the capybara family spend their time together.
In short, the social organization of capybaras can be summarized as having a closed society with dominance hierarchy among the males. Community living of these species has led to cooperative behaviors such as shared nursing among females, vigilance, and display of group territoriality.
Hi Adeline, your blog was truly insightful and offers great knowledge about capybaras. The hierarchical structure and the selection of alpha males were fascinating to learn about, it reminds me of wolf behaviors.
You mentioned how capybaras gather around dwindling lakes during the dry season, forming large groups. I'm curious, during the wet seasons, do capybaras still form these extensive groups?
Hi, Adeline! I just finished reading your blog about capybaras, and I must say, it was thoroughly engaging and informative - your passion for these creatures shines through in your writing. I do have a question. Capybaras seem quite friendly and adorable. I'm intrigued to know, have there been any successful attempts at domesticating them, and how do they usually respond to human presence?