tim's journal

Oh beauteous Capybara

Over the weekend, while visiting the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose, we encountered a most unusual creature - well, actually, four of them.

It looks like a squirrel or a guinea pig - hardly shocking. What is shocking is that this critter is about four feet long, one and a half feet tall, and weighs in at over 100 lbs. Stretch your arms out (about 4') to get the idea. Yowzers! Known as the carpincho in Spanish and the capivara in Portuguese, the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world's largest living rodent [1].

The capybara or "capy", as it is known by American afficionados, is found predominantly in Southern Brazil, Northern Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay. They are either hunted or, more recently, farmed as a source of leather and meat. Indeed, in Venezuela, the capybara is considered a delicacy, costing up to $4.50 a pound as of 1999 [2]. The pork-like meat is "tender and tasty yet low in fat", 1.5% versus up to 20% for beef. For at least one Venezuelan, it is "the most scrumptious dish that exists."

In the 16th century, capybara-addicted Venezuelans appealed to the Vatican to classify it as fish so that it could be eaten during Lent. After all, capybara can hold their breath while swimming underwater for at leats 5 minutes. They also have a slightly fishy taste. To the delight of Venezuelan Catholics, the church granted the request effectively associating capybara to Lent like Thanksgiving turkey.

You may have some reservations about eating rodent. Rest assured, except for occasionally eating its own feces, capybaras eat grass.

References
1. Capybara, Wikipedia.
2. B. Jones, World's largest rodent considered a delicacy by Venezuelans, AP Press, August 1999.
3. G. Gollin, Important Facts About Capybaras.