Hyacinth? Think giant, amphibious hamsters

Water hyacinth's invasion of the Delta is the worst it has ever been. The infernal plant is choking off fishing, Delta resorts, farming, sloppy drunk boating, you name it.

Michael Fitzgerald

Water hyacinth's invasion of the Delta is the worst it has ever been. The infernal plant is choking off fishing, Delta resorts, farming, sloppy drunk boating, you name it.

"It's equal or worse than anything I've ever seen in my life," said Bill Wells, head of the California Delta Chambers.

Spraying of herbicide has not proved adequate. Neither, so far, has the experiment in "bio-control" of importing hyacinth-munching bugs from the Amazon.

Perhaps it is time to bring in the heavy cannon. So join me in considering a bold solution proposed by reader Janis Kembel.

The capybara.

"In northern Brazil, and southern Venezuela, there are rodents called capybaras, that live in the Amazon River basin," Kembel wrote. "They are the largest rodents in the world, and can be the size of a pig. ... These furry creatures eat water hyacinth as the main part of their diets. What if several of these were imported, and placed in the Delta to live off of these pesty plants?"

Janis Kembel, future Delta Hall of Famer.

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) - the name means "river pig - is a "semi-aquatic mammal." It looks like a cross between a pig and a squinchy-faced beaver that applies pomade to its fur.

The "capy" lives on land and water in large groups. It'll bask in the sun, grazing on grass; if startled, they'll all bolt into the water. They can submerge for five minutes.

They can float just under the surface with just their nostrils poking out, breathing like hippos.

Kembel, who worked for a Brazilian airline, saw capybaras in the wild. "They're a beautiful deep shade of red - they go from brown to red, like a dachshund or an Irish setter," she said.

Capybaras usually reach 100 pounds. Like all rodents, they have two giant front teeth. But they don't attack humans. The ones in captivity let humans pet and feed them.

Think giant, amphibious hamsters.

More to the point, the capybara eats water hyacinth. Up to six pounds a day. Multiply that times a herd of 100 capys and you are looking at clear sailing on Delta sloughs.

The solution seems obvious: Drop some of those bad boys in the Delta, and let nature take its course.

I know, I know. Doubting Thomases will fret that the introduction of a giant Brazilian rodent could have adverse ecological impacts. This is a valid concern ... OK, let's move on.

Wilhoit found his voice. "If in the long term this fuzzy little creature can work, and the environmentalists go for it, I'll be all for it. But," he added, "the governor will have to stop his plan for the tunnel or that will suck these creatures out of here."

» A spokesperson for the Department of Fish and Wildlife: "Oh, Jeez."

I interpret this last comment as favorable.

The state Department of Boating and Waterways issued a statement: "The use of animals for control via grazing may result in damage to non-target plant species. Additionally, there are uncertainties of how capybaras may interact with California wildlife and how it may impact habitat value. Extensive research must be conducted before a non-native species is used as a biological control."