General Description of Animal and Social System
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world averaging a weight of about 50
kg. and a length of 1.25 m. (The Panamanian species, H. isthmius
is smaller, weighing an average of 27 kg.) The average age for a capybara is
5-7 years. The capybara is a hairy
species, with short legs, small ears, no tail and a rounded snout.
Located on the snout is a sebaceous gland called the morillo, which, along with
another gland located near the anus, is responsible for scent-marking.
Image taken from http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capyc6.jpg
In a group of capybaras, one will find a social group founded on the presence of an adult dominant male, two or three submissive adult males (generally assigned to the periphery of the group), four to five females and several sub-adults. The social system assigned to the capybara, therefore, is a harem because of the polygynous nature of the social grouping.
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