Between the Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards, lionfish, and Burmese pythons, Florida has its hands full of invasive species, and another one is on the rise: There are now non-native capybara in Florida. Unlike some of the more deadly species that have moved into Florida faster than a retiree fleeing the snowy north, the capybara is not dangerous to people.
Capybara: The biggest rodent on Earth
At upwards of 100 pounds, the gentle capybara is the largest rodent known to man. An herbivore, it eats plants and tree bark and prefers to live near water. A native to South America, wildlife experts suspect these mammoth creatures likely escaped from captivity from a wildlife research facility. Since they were first spotted about 15 years ago, they’ve been thriving. Additionally, an estimated 50 of them live in the wild in North Florida.
A semi-aquatic mammal, the capybara in Florida are accustomed to tropical forest areas near rivers, lakes, and marshes. Those lifestyles makes this hot, humid state a perfect potential breeding ground. While they are not a threat to humans or other animals, any non-native species has the potential to upset the balance of an ecosystem.
Capybara: Population growth & food
First, there’s the issue of population growth. Like many rodent species, these gigantic specimens reproduce fairly quickly, having litters of 4 to 8 pups. With that number of offspring, the current number of 50 could grow into triple digits quite rapidly. Second, given their size, capybara in Florida are unlikely to become a food source for carnivores. They’re simply too big. Their natural enemies back home in South America are big cats like pumas and jaguars. Florida’s resident big cat, the Florida panther (an endangered species itself), lives in South Florida, far from the burgeoning capybara community.
Then there’s the problem of food. An explosion of capybara in Florida could result in the starving out of native herbivore species. Additionally, with plenty of wetlands and woodland areas in the state, Florida is wide open for capybara invasion.
Finally, these furry fellows do have at least one advocate. A biologist and professor at Bethune-Cookman University, Elizabeth Congdon is encouraging kindness over killing. “We want to keep them from spreading but can we please not kill them?” Congdon believes these animals are offering excellent potential for research, calling them “an opportunity to study the process of invasion.” For now, the capybara in Florida are here to stay.
Featured Image from Joel Oliveira/Unsplash
