Hydrochoerus hesperotiganites (SciiFii)

The California capybara (Hydrochoerus hesperotiganites) is a species of capybara that originally lived in San Diego County, California, during the Rancholabrean stage of the Pleistocene (between 130.000 and 80.000 years ago) and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to the modern rainforests, wetlands, and riverbanks across southwestern United States to help boost biodiversity. It is currently the only known species of capybara of the genus Hydrochoerus native to North America. It is closely related to the greater and lesser capybara of South America. The California capybara has a heavy, barrel-shaped body and short head, with greyish-brown fur on the upper part of its body that turns pale-brown underneath. Its sweat glands can be found in the surface of the hairy portions of its skin, an unusual trait among rodents. The California capybara lacks down hair, and its guard hair differs little from over hair. Adult California capybaras grow to 98 to 106 centimeters (3.2 to 3.5 feet) in length, stand 45 to 54 centimeters (17.7 to 21.2 inches) tall at the withers, and typically weigh 28 to 32 kilograms (62 to 70 lbs). Females are slightly heavier than males. California capybaras are herbivores, grazing mainly on grasses and aquatic plants, as well as fruit and tree bark. They are very selective feeders and feed on the leaves of one species and disregard other species surrounding it. They eat a greater variety of plants during the dry season, as fewer plants are available. While they eat grass during the early winter and mid-spring, they have to switch to more abundant reeds during the summer and autumn. Plants that California capybaras eat during the summer lose their nutritional value in the winter, so they are not consumed at that time. The California capybara's jaw hinge is not perpendicular, so they chew food by grinding back-and-forth rather than side-to-side. California capybaras are autocoprophagous, meaning they eat their own feces as a source of bacterial gut flora, to help digest the cellulose in the grass that forms their normal diet, and to extract the maximum protein and vitamins from their food. They also regurgitate food to masticate again, similar to cud-chewing by cattle. As is the case with other rodents, the front teeth of California capybaras grow continually to compensate for the constant wear from eating grasses; their cheek teeth also grow continuously. The California capybara breeds during the early-to-mid spring, with an average litter size of 3.5. Individuals may be diurnal or nocturnal and solitary or social depending on season, habitat, and hunting pressure. The conservation status of the California capybara is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the California capybara's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii