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The biggest rodent on earth!


The biggest rodent on earth!
Photo Information
Copyright: Michel Pilon (pilonm) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 542 W: 99 N: 813] (2647)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-02-12
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Panasonic DMC FZ - 20 LUMIX
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/80 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-03-14 7:53
Viewed: 1070
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello,

Today, I present you the biggest Rodent on earth: the Capybara... In Venezuela, this Rodent is common and during my 2 weeks vacations there last month, we can saw some of these at the end of the day... They look very cute and are not aggressive at all... Great and nice animals!!!

The Capybara on the picture was a young baby searching on the grass amongst those little whitish flowers...

Oh! The pleasure to see a wild animal that usually we see only in a zoo...!

Any comments?

Thank you,

Michel

--------------------------

The name 'capybara' means 'master of the grasses' in the language of the Guarani Indians and water pig in another language.


The capybara diet consists of aquatic plants, grasses, tree bark, grains, melons, and occasionally some fruits.

The capybara female can have two to eight babies at one time. Usually the female has 4 babies in a litter. Capybaras mate in the water just before rainy season and the females are pregnant for approximately 130 days. The newborns can follow their mother around and eat plants right away, but they still drink milk and are not weaned until 16 weeks. The mother is not the only one to help take care of her young. The entire group of females help take care of the 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'. Its enemies are the anaconda, the jaguar, the puma, ocelot, eagle,and ciaman. Capybaras sometimes hide in floating vegetation, too.

Capybaras are slightly clumsy on land, but are excellent swimmers and divers. Capybaras are mammals, and can't stay under water forever. But they can stay under water for a few minutes, and can even sleep underwater if necessary, with only their nose sticking out of the water. Capybaras often lay on dry land to rest, basking in the sun. But at the first signal of danger, the whole troop dashes into the water.

The capybara lives in large groups varying from 10-100 (usually 20) with one head male and 1 or more females and other males. Capybaras communicate with barks, whistles, clicks, squeals, and grunts plus smell.
ellis49, Alex99, eruyanik, GLEM, JoseMiguel, aido, JPlumb, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1580 W: 242 N: 5278] (18595)
  • [2007-03-14 8:12]

Very cute! Nice and sharp with good composition,
Well done!
Joey

Hi Michel.
this is a sharp picture with good details.
I like the pose and the low POV here.
NIce colour too.
Well dodne.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2991 W: 148 N: 4435] (14369)
  • [2007-03-14 11:03]

Hi Michel.
What a sweet shot of this amazing animal. I like its composition, wonderful colours, razor sharpness and great details so much. Excellent low POV and extremely well selected DOF. Exposure, contrast, richness of colours are perfect too. Bravo and my best regards.
Alexei.

What a huge rodent indeed!!! Looks like a cattle :-) Beautiful big eye and funny ears are on foot! He smells the nice flowers or search something useful.
Interesting subject and presantation!
Ersin

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 522 W: 87 N: 693] (5737)
  • [2007-03-14 16:14]

hi Michel

très jolie prise de vue, le flash apporte de la brillance et ajoute aux bons détails. Le fleurs du premier plan complète bien l'ensemble.

tfs

Hi Michel, lovely portrait with splendid colors, great sharpness and wonderful details, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1128 W: 254 N: 2428] (11041)
  • [2007-03-14 17:42]

Hi Michel,

a nice sharp composition,I like the POV and the tight crop,well captured and TFS

Paul

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1103 W: 173 N: 1227] (4038)
  • [2007-03-14 22:39]

Hi Michel,
It seems a long time since our paths crossed, hope all is well with you. A great shot of this rodent. It seems odd, the word rodent is always associated with something not so pleasant but here we see the largest of them all and it's a rather appealing looking creature.

A great image, perfect focus on the eye, nicely framed and close enough for plenty of detail. Well managed exposure too in what looks like bright light. Good work from you again my friend, thanks for sharing.

Best regards,
Adrian

Hi Michel, excellent composition of this capybara. I haven't even seen one of these in a zoo so shots such as yours are a treat. Your colour is very good. The detail incredible, with the wet fur and what an awesome eye. Its all done in a very sharp package.

Thanks, John

Salut Michel,
This is a very good close up of the chiguire, that is its common name here.
Seems like just having a bath, for the wet in their fur.
The small flowers adds a lot to this very good composition.
Very interesting and complete the info in your notes.
Felicitacions et merci de partager.
Mes amities,
JM

Hello Michel,
that must have been an exciting encounter next to your hotel in the grass! What a good idea to do such a close cropping of the head. This emphasizes the sheer size of this gentle, rabbit like giant, and it brings its peaceful appearance close to us.
Thank you! Best regards,
Peter

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