When I saw it I thought: what the hell is this?
I’m sure some friends around the world have the chance to meet these huge puppies in their daily routine, but for me this was a surprise!
I’m introducing you the guinea pig’s cousin: the Capybara.
I know, the size and the shapes are quite different but I assure you, the family is the same.
The Capybara is the biggest rodent in the world, it is native of South America and it lives in savannahs close to lakes.
It is also a very good swimmer! It is herbivorous, very sociable and not dangerous at all. It loves grass, leaves and aquatic plants.
I saw for the first time the Capybara at the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park and they created in me a stimulating curiosity.
In the first instance, their movement as a “big mouse” scared me a bit, but reading their story I felt a sense of tenderness and you know why?
It is a species very hunted, both from humans for its meat and skin and from other savannah animals. It seems they are the favourite anaconda food.
As per their “cousins”, the Capybara doesn’t synthesize vitamin C, so the ones being lucky to live free their existence, have frequent gum disease problems.
Their imposing and bristly appearance would not have suggested me all these details I learnt about them.
When we say the appearance can be deceptive, it is quite true, especially if we are not informed about the story of what we see, what we live and sometimes what we just imagine.
“Just when you think you know something,
you have to look at in another way.”Dead Poets Society – Robin Williams as John Keating, the professor.
Seize the Path 