50 kg110 lb
An adult capybara, the world’s largest rodent, weighs about 50 kg (110 lb), and most fall between 35 and 66 kg (77 to 146 lb). Females are slightly heavier than males. The heaviest wild capybara on record, a female from Brazil, weighed 91 kg (201 lb), and Guinness World Records lists a captive female at 113 kg (249 lb).
| Heaviest captive capybaraA female, listed by Guinness World Records | 113 kg249 lb |
|---|---|
| Heaviest wild female on recordBrazil | 91 kg201 lb |
| Heaviest wild male on recordUruguay | 73.5 kg162 lb |
| Typical adultMost weigh 35 to 66 kg | 50 kg110 lb |
| Young adult, 18 months | 40 kg88.2 lb |
| NewbornUsually born in litters of about four | 1.5 kg3.31 lb |
Most sources put a grown capybara somewhere between 35 and 66 kg (77 to 146 lb). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance gives 35 to 65 kg, Animal Diversity Web 35 to 66 kg, and Guinness World Records narrows it to 50 to 60 kg (110 to 132 lb) for an average adult. In the Venezuelan Llanos, where capybaras have been studied closely, adults average 48.9 kg (108 lb). A figure of 50 kg sits right in the middle.
An adult is about 106 to 134 cm (3.5 to 4.4 ft) long and stands 50 to 62 cm (20 to 24 in) at the shoulder. Unlike many mammals, females are the slightly bigger sex.
After a pregnancy of about 150 days, a female gives birth to an average of four pups, though litters range from one to eight. Each pup weighs about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). The young are well developed at birth: they stand and walk shortly afterwards and start grazing within a week, while still nursing for about three to four months.
Growth is quick on a diet of grasses and water plants. By 18 months a capybara weighs about 40 kg (88 lb), roughly 27 times its birth weight. An adult eats about 3 kg (6.6 lb) of fresh plants a day.
The heaviest wild capybara ever recorded was a female from Brazil at 91 kg (201 lb), almost twice the typical weight. The heaviest wild male on record, from Uruguay, weighed 73.5 kg (162 lb), and an 81 kg (179 lb) animal was reported in São Paulo in 2001 or 2002.
Captive animals can get heavier still. Guinness World Records lists an exceptional captive female that reached 113 kg (249 lb), but gives no date or place for the weighing.
Capybaras live near rivers, lakes and swamps, and their bodies are only slightly denser than water, so they float easily. Their toes are slightly webbed, four on the front feet and three on the back, and their eyes, ears and nostrils sit high on the head, so they can watch and breathe with almost the whole body underwater.
They are strong swimmers and can stay fully submerged for up to five minutes, which lets them slip out of sight quickly. Soaking in water also helps them stay cool in the tropical heat.
A typical adult weighs about 110 lb, and most fall between 77 and 146 lb. The heaviest wild one on record weighed 201 lb, and a captive female reached 249 lb.
A newborn capybara weighs about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). It can walk soon after birth, and by 18 months it weighs about 40 kg (88 lb).
Females are slightly larger and heavier than males. The heaviest wild capybara on record was a 91 kg (201 lb) female, while the heaviest wild male weighed 73.5 kg (162 lb).
It is the largest living rodent, about twice the size of a beaver according to Guinness World Records. The largest known rodent ever was Josephoartigasia monesi, which lived in what is now Uruguay about 2.6 million years ago and has been estimated at 1 to 2 tonnes, though one study put it at about 651 to 715 kg.
Up to about five minutes. Capybaras are strong swimmers and spend much of the day in or near water.
Last checked October 2, 2026.
