Capybaras, giant rodents native to South America, could become Florida’s next big invasive species, a biologist warned August 3 in Columbia, Mo., at the 53rd Annual Conference of the Animal Behavior Society.
“Capybaras have been introduced to northern Florida,” said Elizabeth Congdon of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla. And there are enough similarities to nutria — large invasive rodents that have caused havoc in many states — to warrant a closer look at the South American newcomers.
Scary stuff indeed. Capybaras: cute and cuddly pets? Or the next nutria? Maybe both? We shall see.
Previously in Newley.com capybara references: I mentioned in a Newley’s Note edition back in May that I’d been looking into the creatures.
I was researching capybaras – yes, you read that right; they’ve been in the news – and came across this amazing video of two people who have made pets of the huge rodents. Here’s a video of the pair, Romeo and Tuff’n, going shopping.
And of course there’s one of the best videos ever, which I think I mentioned in my very first NN: capybaras taking a dip in an onsen.