Capybara meat: An extraordinary resource for food security in South America

Abstract

The available information on capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) meat, an important resource for the subsistence of many traditional communities in several South American countries, is reviewed. Some features of the species, such as an herbivorous diet, high prolificacy, rapid growth rate, tameness, and social behaviour, which allow its commercial use through harvesting in Venezuela and farming in Brazil, where commercial hunting is not allowed, is discussed. Key characteristics of capybara meat, is low saturated fat and cholesterol content. Discussions about management and handling practices regarding animal welfare and capybara meat quality are also highlighted. After commenting on ethical, political, and economic implications of wildlife use it is concluded that capybara meat has an extraordinary potential to satisfy the growing demand for healthy and high-quality protein of animal origin for the subsistence of many people in the Neotropics.

Parasites Circulating in Wild Synanthropic Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): A One Health Approach

“…Synanthropic populations of free-ranging capybaras are associated not only with cattle farming but also with human settlements. Additionally, this giant rodent is an important meat source for countryside populations [ 6 ]. It is estimated that approximately 61% of human diseases are zoonotic, and wildlife reservoirs are the source of most human emerging infectious diseases [ 40 , 41 ].…”

“…Moreover, capybaras are synanthropic species distributed in riparian habitats with strong anthropogenic impact and representing an important bushmeat source for traditional communities [ 6 ]. Accordingly, the Orinoco River constitutes a huge tropical watershed with extensive wetlands, marshes, and lakes nourished by the fourth largest river in the world.…”

“…Accordingly, the Orinoco River constitutes a huge tropical watershed with extensive wetlands, marshes, and lakes nourished by the fourth largest river in the world. Unfortunately, this diverse and unique ecosystem has suffered dramatic anthropogenic changes during the last decades because of legal and illegal agroindustrial crop development [ 7 ], the expansion of the agricultural frontier due to livestock, illegal mining, logging [ 8 ], hunting [ 6 ], and wildlife trafficking [ 9 ]. Thus, free-ranging capybaras distributed in the human-altered Orinoco Basin are constantly interacting with a plethora of endemic wildlife species, humans, and domestic animals such as horses ( Equus caballus ), cattle ( Bos taurus indicus ), chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), dogs ( Canis familiaris ), and cats ( Felis catus ).…”

Macronutrient composition of longitudinal milk samples from captive aardvarks (Orycteropus afer)

“…Similar‐sized species with relatively rapid growth rates are capybaras and fallow deer. Capybaras (adult weight of 45–50 kg) are born at a similar birth weight to aardvarks and appear to have a slower rate of growth as they reach an average of 17.3% of adult weight by 3 months compared to Winsol's 25% (Nogueira‐Filho & Nogueira, ; Ojasti, ). Male fallow deer (60–85 kg) reach about 30% of their adult weight after 3 months indicating a faster growth rate overall than Winsol (Birgersson & Ekvall, ).…”

Animal-based food systems are unsafe: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) fosters the debate on meat consumption

“…Bat bushmeat is a core dietary component for people living in Madagascar (10) . In several South American countries, the meat of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is an essential resource for the subsistence of many traditional communities (11) . In Ghana, fruit bat bushmeat provides an at-cost protein source when agricultural production drops in the dry season (12) .…”