Clodomiro Esteves Junior · CC BY-SA 4.0Capybara
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris · kapi'yva
The world's largest rodent, calm and sociable; you'll see it in almost any wetland.
What it is
The largest living rodent (carpincho in Spanish), it lives in groups, almost always near water, and thanks to its webbed feet it dives underwater to escape danger. It grazes at dawn and dusk and rests on the bank during the hottest hours. It is one of the easiest wild animals to see in Paraguay, especially in the Chaco and the southern marshes.
Did you know…?
Groups usually number ten to twenty animals, and sometimes many more gather around a single lagoon.
Where
Marshes and tajamares (cattle ponds) along the Transchaco Highway (Presidente Hayes), the Pantanal, Lake Ypoá, the Ñeembucú marshes and the Bay of Asunción.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.