Reminder capybaras are wild animals and can carry diseases, such as the spotted fever. And they reproduce really fast: in nature they reach sexual maturity in a year and half, and have 4~5 pups per year. At least here (where I live they’re native) there is some predation, but unless you keep the population in check they’ll go from “aww” to “eww” really fast.
I’m not sure if domestication is viable; if it was, the Amerindians would’ve done it already, odds are at least some tribes tried. I’m saying this because they’ve been hunting the capybaras since forever, a lot of them used to be nomads (livestock is great when you’re a nomad, it’s basically a mobile food reserve), and the ones in the Andes did domesticate a related species (guinea pigs).
(Plus they have a nasty habit of eating their own poop.)
Reminder capybaras are wild animals and can carry diseases, such as the spotted fever. And they reproduce really fast: in nature they reach sexual maturity in a year and half, and have 4~5 pups per year. At least here (where I live they’re native) there is some predation, but unless you keep the population in check they’ll go from “aww” to “eww” really fast.
And no, hugging the capybara is not predation.
they also are prone to being ranover by cars and end up causing accidents because of that
Worth.
How do they taste?
I never ate capybara meat, but based on what people told me it’s like pork, except gamey and drier. It doesn’t sound too appetising IMO.
Then we must find out how to improve it. A dietary change and domestication might have the same effect as does on swine.
I’m not sure if domestication is viable; if it was, the Amerindians would’ve done it already, odds are at least some tribes tried. I’m saying this because they’ve been hunting the capybaras since forever, a lot of them used to be nomads (livestock is great when you’re a nomad, it’s basically a mobile food reserve), and the ones in the Andes did domesticate a related species (guinea pigs).
(Plus they have a nasty habit of eating their own poop.)