Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ph5wq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T13:36:39.432Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) behaviour and welfare: implications for successful farming practices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

SSC Nogueira*
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus Itabuna km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
SLG Nogueira-Filho
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus Itabuna km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: seleneuesc@gmail.com

Abstract

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) farming in Latin American countries was hampered at the outset by limited knowledge of species behaviour and inappropriate husbandry protocols, which resulted in low reproductive rates, lethal adult fights and consequent reduced well-being. As the peculiarities of capybara social behaviour are still ignored by many species’ breeders, both in commercial or research centres, we aim here to provide a review of successful experiences in Brazil by evaluating a number of social behaviour issues that are directly associated with the species’ welfare. We highlight special points on group composition and facilities needed, such as water tank and corral-trap structures, which may affect capybara health, productivity, and animal welfare. It has been shown that trying to form new aggregates by mixing adult or sub-adult animals obtained from different groups does not work. Conversely, we did not find a difference in the frequency with which mothers from the same group nurse their own young or those of other females. This knowledge may lead to successful trials for female adoption when necessary. In conclusion, capybara welfare is strongly linked to cohesion among animals. Additionally, assessment of vocal emissions is discussed as a potential, non-invasive measure to evaluate improvement in capybara handling procedures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alho, CJR 1986 Criação e manejo de capivaras em pequenas propriedades rurais. EMBRAPA-DPP. Documento, 13. EMBRAPA-DDT: Brasília, Brazil. [Title translation: Farming and handling of capybaras in small properties]Google Scholar
Altermann, GTM and Leal-Zanchet, AM 2002 Puberdade em fêmeas de capivaras Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris (Mammalia, Rodentia), mantidas em sistema de criação intensiva no Rio Grande do Sul. Acta Biologica Leopoldensia 24: 185197. [Title translation: Puberty in capybara females Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris (Mammalia, Rodentia) under intensive breeding in Rio Grande do Sul]Google Scholar
Alvarez, MR 2011 Criação em cativeiro de capivaras na Venezuela. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 40: 4447. [Title translation: Capybara farming in Venezuela]Google Scholar
Alvarez, MR and Kravetz, FO 2006 Reproductive performance of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in captivity under different management systems in Argentina. Animal Research 55: 153164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/animres:2006005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrade, PCM 1996 Níveis de proteína e energia em rações e manejo de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris, L. 1766) em crescimento. Dissertação (Mestrado), Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil. [Title translation: Protein and energy requirements and management of growing capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris L 1766)]Google Scholar
Azcarate, T 1980 Sociobiologia y manejo del capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Doñana Acta Vertebrata 7: 1128. [Title translation: Sociobiology and management of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)]Google Scholar
Barros, KS, Tokumaru, RS, Pedroza, JP and Nogueira, SSC 2011 Vocal repertoire of captive capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): structure, context and function. Ethology 117: 8393. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01853.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, J and Stevens, EF 1996 Mammalian social organization and mating systems. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV and Lumpkin, S (eds) Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 344351. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Blanchard, RJ, Blanchard, DC, Agullana, R and Weiss, SM 1991 Twenty-two kHz alarm cries to presentation of a predator, by laboratory rats living in visible burrow systems. Physiology and Behaviour 50: 967972. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(91)90423-LCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blumberg, MS and Stolba, MA 1996 Thermogenesis, myoclonic twitching, and ultrasonic vocalization in neonatal rats during moderate and extreme cold exposure. Behavioural Neuroscience 110: 305314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.110.2.305Google Scholar
Bradbury, JW and Vehrencamp, SL 1998 Principles of Animal Communication. Sinauer Associates: CanadaGoogle Scholar
Caine, NG and Stevens, C 1990 Evidence for a ‘monitoring call’ in red-bellied tamarins. American Journal of Primatology 22: 251262. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1350220405CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carlstead, K 1996 Effects of captivity on the behaviour of wild mammals. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV and Lumpkin, S (eds) Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 317333. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Chapman, CA 1991 Reproductive biology of captive capybaras. Journal of Mammalogy 72: 206208. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1382000CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cueto, GR 1999 Biología reproductiva y crecimiento del carpincho (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) en cautiverio: una interpretación de las estrategias poblacionales. Thesis, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaGoogle Scholar
Dominguez, J, Lotti, A, Papotto, D and Sanchez, M 2009 Carpincho, Boletin 67 Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Pesca, Buenos Aires Argentina. Available at: http://64.76.123.202/site/ganaderia/carpinchos/01-oletin/_archivos/091000_Boletín Carpincho 2009.pdfGoogle Scholar
Emmons, LH 1987 Ecological considerations on the farming of game animals: capybaras yes, pacas no. Vida Silvestre Neotropical 1: 5455Google Scholar
Girardi, F, Cardozo, RM, Souza, VLF, Moraes, GV, Santos, CR, Visentainer, JV, Zara, RF and Souza, NE 2005 Proximate composition and fatty acid profile of semi confined young capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris L 1766) meat. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 18: 647654. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2004.06.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
González-Jiménez, E 1995 El capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): estado actual de su producción. FAO, (Série Estudio FAO). Producion y Sanidad Animal, Roma 122: 1112. [Title translation: The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)]Google Scholar
Herrera, EA and Macdonald, DW 1993 Aggression, dominance and mating success among capybara males (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris). Behaviour Ecology 4: 114119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/4.2.114Google Scholar
Herrera, EA, Salas, V, Congdon, ER, Corriale, MJ and Tang-Martínez, Z 2011 Capybara social structure and dispersal patterns: variations on a theme. Journal of Mammalogy 92: 1220. http://dx.doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-S-420.1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holmes, LN, Price, EO, Dally, MR and Wallach, SJR 1989 Fostering lambs by odour transfer: two-lamb substitution. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 24: 247257. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(89)90071-3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lavorenti, A 1989 Domestication and potential for genetic improvement of capybara. Revista Brasileira de Genética 12: 137144Google Scholar
Le Pendu, Y, Guimaraes, DAA and Linhares, A 2011 Estado da arte sobre a criação comercial da fauna silvestre brasileira. Revista brasileira de zootecnia (Online) 40: 5259. [Title translation: The state of art on Brazilian wild animals commercial breeding]Google Scholar
Lopes, PCC 2007 Estudo da estrutura social e das relações maternofiliais de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus 1766) em cativeiro. Master's Dissertation, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil. [Title translation: Study of social structure and maternal relationships of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Linnaeus 1766) in captivity]Google Scholar
López-Barbella, S 1984 Una contribuicion al conocimento de la reproduccion del chigüire (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) pp 109117. Informe Anual de Instituto de Produción Animal (IPA): Maracay, Venezuela. [Title translation: A contribution for knowledge of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) reproduction]Google Scholar
Lord, RD and Lord, VR 1988 Cross checking censuses and a model of the annual cycle of mortality and reproduction in capybaras. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 23: 213224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01650528809360765CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macdonald, DW 1981 Dwindling resources and the social behaviour of capybara. (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) (Mammalia). Journal of Zoology 194: 371391. http://dx.doi.org/10J111/j.1469-7998.1981.tb04588.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maple, TL and Perkins, LA 1996 Enclosure furnishings and structural environmental enrichment. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV and Lumpkin, S (eds) Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques, First Edition pp 212222. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago USAGoogle Scholar
McPhee, ME and Carlstead, K 2010 The importance of maintaining natural behaviour in captive mammals. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV and Lumpkin, S (eds) Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques, Second Edition pp 303313. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago USAGoogle Scholar
Mendes, A and Nogueira-Filho, SLG 2012 Feeds and nutrition of farmed capybaras. In: Moreira, JR, Ferraz, KMPMB, Herrera, EA and Macdonald, DW (eds) Capybara: Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species pp 229241. Springer-Verlag: London, UK. http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/ecology/book/978-1-4614-3999-8Google Scholar
Mendes, A, Nogueira, SSC, Lavorenti, A and Nogueira-Filho, SLG 2000 A note on the cecotrophy behaviour in capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 66: 161167. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00080-5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Michi, KMP 1999 Estrutura social da capivara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeri, Rodentia: caviomorpha) revelada pelas relações espaciais. Master's Dissertation, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. [Title translation: Social structure of capybara Estrutura social da capivara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeri, Rodentia: caviomorpha) revelada pelas relações espaciais. Master's Dissertation, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. [Title translation: Social structure of capybara Rodentia: caviomorpha) showed by spatial relationships]Google Scholar
Moreira, JR and Macdonald, DW 1996 Capybara use and conservation in South America. In: Taylor, VJ and Dunstone, N (eds) The Exploitation of Mammal Populations. Chapman and Hall: London, UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1525-1_7Google Scholar
Naito, H, Noue, I and Makino, J 2000 Ultrasonic isolation calls in genetically high- and low-emotional rat pups. Experimental Animals 49: 289294. http://dx.doi.org/10.1538/expanim.49.289CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nogueira, SSC 1996 Comportamento e manejo da capivara. In: Nogueira-Filho, SLG (ed) Criação de Capivaras pp 1016. Centro de Produções Técnicas: Viçosa, MG, Brazil. [Title translation: Behaviour and management of capybara]Google Scholar
Nogueira, SSC 1997 Manejo reprodutivo da capivara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) em Sistema Intensivo de Criação. Doctoral Thesis, Instituto de Psicologia, Departamento de Psicologia Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. [Title translation: Reproductive management of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) in intensive breeding systems]Google Scholar
Nogueira, SSC 2009 Indicators of social stress and poor welfare in neotropical farmed wild animals. Proceedings of XXXI IEC meeting. 19-24 August 2009, Rennes, FranceGoogle Scholar
Nogueira, SSC, Barros, KS, Pedroza, JP, Almeida, MH, Nogueira-Filho, SLG and Tokumaru, RS 2012 Ultrasound call detection in capybara Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 32: 663666. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2012000700014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nogueira, SSC, Bernardi, LG and Nogueira-Filho, SLG 2004 A note on comparative enclosure facility usage by wild and captive-born capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 89: 139143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2004.04.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nogueira, SSC, Lopes, APS and Nogueira-Filho, SLG 2003 Como evitar infanticidios e peleas mortales en criaderos de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)? Boletin Bedim 12: 16–17. [Title translation: How to avoid infanticides and mortal fights in farming capybaras?]Google Scholar
Nogueira, SSC, Nogueira-Filho, SLG, Otta, E, Dias, CTS and Carvalho, A 1999 Determination of infanticide causes in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) groups in captivity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 351357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(98)00231-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nogueira, SSC, Nogueira-Filho, SLG and Dias, CTS 2000 Alloparental behaviour in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Revista de Etologia 2: 1721Google Scholar
Nogueira-Filho, SLG 1996 Manual de Criação de Capivaras pp 1–50. Centro de Produções Técnicas: Viçosa-MG, Brazil. [Title translation: Handbook of farming capybaras]Google Scholar
Nogueira-Filho, SLG and Nogueira, SSC 2004 Captive breeding programs as an alternative for wildlife conservation in Brazil. In: Kirsten, S, Fragoso, JMV and Bodmer, R (eds) People in Nature: Wildlife Management and Conservation in Latin America pp 171190. Columbia University Press: New York, USACrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nogueira-Filho, SLG and Nogueira, SSC 2012 The impact of management practices on female capybara reproductive parameters in captivity. In: Moreira, JR, Ferraz, KMPMB, Herrera, EA and Macdonald, DW (eds) Capybara: Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species pp 261274. Springer-Verlag: London, UK. http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/ecolog y/book/978-1 - 4614-3999-8Google Scholar
Nogueira Neto, P 1973 Criação de animais indígenas vertebrados. Tecnapis: São Paulo, Brazil. [Title translation: Vertebrate Indian breeding]Google Scholar
Ojasti, J 1973 Estudio del chigüire o capibara. Fondo Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias: Caracas, Venezuela. [Title translation: Study of capybara]Google Scholar
Ojasti, J 1991 Human exploitation of capybara. In: Robinson, JG and Redford, KH (eds) Neotropical Wildlife Use and Conservation pp 236252. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Ojasti, J and Sosa Burgos, L 1985 Density regulation in populations of capybara. Acta Zoologica Fenica 173: 8183Google Scholar
Pedroza, JP 2011 Estalido: um chamado de contato em capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Master's Dissertation, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. [Title translation: Click: the contact call in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)]Google Scholar
Peel, AJ, Vogelnest, L, Finnigan, M, Grossfeldt, L and O’Brien, JK 2005 Non-invasive fecal hormone analysis and behavioral observations for monitoring stress responses in captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Zoo Biology 24: 431445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20055CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pond, WG, Church, DC, Pond, KR and Shoknecht, PA 2004 Basic Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Fifth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated: Hobeken, New Jersey, USAGoogle Scholar
Santos, E 2011 The whistle calls function in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Master's Dissertation, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, BrazilGoogle Scholar
Schaller, GB and Crashaw, P Jr 1981 Social organization in a capybara population. Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen 29: 316Google Scholar
Silva-Neto, PB 1989 Alimentação e manejo de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) em cativeiro. Master's Dissertation, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil. [Title translation: Feeding and management of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) in captivity]Google Scholar
Silva-Neto, PB, Bortolanza, D and Andrade, M 1996 Como criar capivara. Apostila e video tape cassette (handbook plus VHS tape), 50 min, color, VDS NTSC. Agrodata Datavídeo: Curitiba, Brazil. [Title translation: How to breed capybara]Google Scholar
Thomas, DA, Takahashi, LK and Barfield, RJ 1983 Analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations emitted by intruders during aggressive encounters among rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of Comparative Physiology and Psychology 97: 201206CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weller, SH and Bennett, CL 2001 Twenty-four hour activity budgets and patterns of behaviour in 472 captive ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 71: 6779. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(00)00169-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, R 2003 Environmental Enrichment. Blackwell Science: Oxford, UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470751046Google Scholar