What Is the World’s Largest Rodent?

When we think of a rodent, we usually picture a mouse or a squirrel or maybe a beaver. But did you know there’s a rodent that grows to the size of the largest dog?

This creature is called the capybara, and lives in tropical regions of South America. The capybara looks a lot like a guinea pig, with short ears and thin hair. It has no tail and its toes are partially webbed, which makes it an excellent swimmer.

But the capybara is much bigger than the guinea pig, or any other rodent. When full-grown, it may be more than four feet long, and weigh over 100 pounds.

The largest capybaras tip the scales at over 170 pounds!