Capybara
The capybara ("Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris") is a mammal native to South America. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Also called chigüire, chigüiro (in Colombia and Venezuela) and carpincho, it is a member of the genus "Hydrochoerus", of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara ("Hydrochoerus isthmius"). Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the coypu. The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals. The capybara is not a threatened species but it is hunted for its meat and hide and also for grease from its thick fatty skin, which is used in the pharmaceutical trade.
Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park
A diversity of animals of the rodent group live in the park. The larger ones are coipo, coypu, "Myocastor coypus", a webbed-feet animal that inhabits reedy lake and river banks; and Wolffsohn's viscacha, "Lagidium wolffsohni", of the family Chinchillidae, whose preferred habitat is above the timber line. Among the smaller rodents, scientists have shown particular interest for Chilean climbing mouse, "Irenomys tarsalis", and for the long-clawed mole mouse, "Geoxus valdivianus".