Big Water Rodent

These mammals are native to south america and were introduced into the united states.

Big water rodent.

They exhibit many adaptations associated with hunting in water for food and burrowing along streams rivers and lakes. The coypu from spanish coipú from mapudungun koypu. Also called capivara in brazil chigüire chigüiro in colombia and venezuela carpincho in argentina paraguay and uruguay and ronsoco in peru it is a member of the genus hydrochoerus of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara. Monster rodents haunted new york city long before the arrival of the sewer rat.

The big apple had once been the home of castoroides bear sized beavers who were 213 centimeters 7 ft long and weighed over 90 kilograms 200 lb. The eyes are small the nostrils can be closed to keep water out and the external portion of the ears is either. Myocastor coypus also known as the nutria is a large herbivorous semiaquatic rodent classified for a long time as the only member of the family myocastoridae myocastor is now included within echimyidae the family of the spiny rats. The coypu lives in burrows alongside stretches of water and feeds on river plant stems.

Aquatic adaptations they live in burrows or nests never far from the water. For comparison the largest modern beavers top out at 27 kilograms 60 lb. The capybara hydrochoerus hydrochaeris is a giant cavy rodent native to south america it is the largest living rodent in the world.