Usually the female has 4 babies in a litter. Capybaras mate in the water just before rainy season and the females are 'heavy with baby' for approximately 130 days. The newborns can follow their mother around and eat plants right away, but they still drink milk and are weaned at 16 weeks and not only the mother helps take care of her young. The entire group of females help take care of her babies. The females have to be 15 months or older to be able to have babies of their own.
Capybaras protect themselves in a different way than other animals do.
If they hear danger coming, they will dive into the water and hide like 'cowards'. Their natural enemies include the anaconda and the jacare. Its worst enemies are the jaguar and the puma. Capybaras sometimes hide in floating vegetation, too. Capybaras are slightly clumsy on land, but are excellent swimmers and divers.