Capybara Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species [Hardcover]

The capybara is the neotropical mammal with the highest potential for production and domestication. Amongst the favorable characteristics for domestication we can list its high prolificacy, rapid growth rate, a herbivorous diet, social behavior and relative tameness. The genus (with only two species) is found from the Panama Canal to the north of Argentina on the east of the Andes. Chile is the only country in South America where the capybara is not found. The species is eaten all over its range, especially by poor, rural and traditional communities engaged in subsistence hunting. On the other hand, in large urban settlements wildlife is consumed by city dwellers as a delicacy. The sustainable management of capybara in the wild has been adopted by some South American countries, while others have encouraged capybara rearing in captivity.This book examines the capybara, a neotropical mammal that has the highest potential for production and domestication. It collects the work of over 45 authors from nine different countries.
Foreword.- Preface.- Part I: Biology, Ecology and Evolution.- Taxonomy, natural history and distribution of the capybara.- Paleontology, evolution and systematics of capybara.- Phylogenetics of Caviomorph rodents and genetic perspectives on the evolution of sociality and mating systems in the Caviidae.- Foraging strategies and feeding habits of capybaras.- Capybara digestive adaptations.- Reproductive morphology and physiology of the male capybara.- Morphology and reproductive physiology of female capybaras.- Capybara demographic traits.- Diseases of capybara.- Capybara scent glands and scent-marking behavior.- Capybara social behavior and use of space: patterns and processes.- Part II: Production.- Products and uses of capybaras.- Confined and semi-confined production systems for capybaras.- Social and spatial relationships of capybaras in a semi-confined production system.- Feeds and nutrition of farmed capybaras.- The impact of managemelc1