They have four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet, with short webbing between each toe. The toes are also tipped with strong claws. Capybaras nostrils and small eyes sit atop of their oblong heads. Their teeth, as with all rodents, grow throughout their lives. Consequently, they chew on everything to keep their teeth the proper length.
Capybaras have little or no tails.
Because capybaras reproductive organs are concealed within a fold of skin, it is hard to tell the sexes apart from that end of things. By looking at the nose, you can easily identify the males. The boys have a four inch long knot on top of their snout. The knot is actually a gland used for scent marking. Capybaras are found in dense vegetation and wooded areas around swamps, lakes and rivers of northern South America.