Feeding behavior and crop damage caused by capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in an agricultural landscape

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the yield loss caused by capybaras in rural areas of Dourados-MS, their feeding periods, crop preferences and the landscape characteristics of farms that may affect the occurrence of capybara's herds. Semi-structured interviews in 24 different farms were done during a period between April 2010 and August 2011. Field observations were held at different times of the day, and also during the night in order to record peaks of the feeding behavior in six farms. Direct counting of capybaras along with the group of animals reported as seen by the farmers during the interviews was used to estimate the size of herds. Data was analyzed using the Principal Components Analyses and the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The average number of capybaras found in a regular herd was 18.8 ± 7.90 animals. The average number of capybara herd by farms was of 1.38 ± 0.92 while the average number of capybaras by farms was 32.33 ± 27.87. Capybaras selected rice (Oryza sativa) when it was available (14.5% of devastation in 1.18% of total planted area); however, the most eaten crop was corn (Zea mays) with 38.55% of loss rate in 16.17% of the total planted area. Capybaras ate mostly in the evening and during the night. The availability of water resources in the rural area predisposed the occurrence of capybara's herds.

Positive-reinforcement strategies to reduce capture-stress in Capybaras

“…Capybaras are herbivorous, and although specific grass and aquatic plants are their staple food, they do have a great desire for sugary plants, especially sugarcane (lat. Saccharum officinarum) (Borges & Colares, 2007;Ferraz, 2007;Felix et al, 2014). Sugarcane was cut into approximately 2-foot-long pieces, and either hand-fed to the capybaras (Figure 4) or placed upright into the ground to attract the animals, which works much more effectively than leaving stalks uncut and flat on the floor (personal communication, 2017).…”

“…One of the main reasons why studies on capybaras have increased is because of their potential threat to human health, being an amplifying host of Rickettsia rickettsii, the etiological agent of Brazilian Spotted Fever, a lethal tick-borne disease (Fiol, Junqueira, Rocha, Toledo, & Barberato Filho, 2010;Labruna, 2013). Thus, finding the most adequate method of population control, concurrent with collecting material for epidemiological surveillance, has become a top priority (Souza, 2004;Labruna, 2013;Felix et al, 2014;Bovo, Ferraz, Verdade, & Moreira, 2016). Controlling capybara populations is limited to non-lethal methods, pertaining to the native fauna, they are protected by law from hunting, trafficking, and abuse (Brasil, 1967).…”

CAPIVARAS (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) E A PRESENÇA DO CARRAPATO (Amblyomma sculptum) NO CAMPUS DA UFSCAR-ARARAS, SÃO PAULO

“…O número máximo de capivaras registrado (n=56) para o grupo estudado no campus da UFSCarAraras corrobora com outros trabalhos obtidos em ambientes semelhantes com áreas antrópicas e de extensas áreas agrícolas e pastagens (13)(14)(15)17,22,50) . Nesses locais, os grupos podem chegar a conter mais de 50 animais, número elevado se comparado a ambientes com menor grau de perturbação e interferência antrópica, como mostram os estudos realizados no Pantanal Brasileiro, com média de animais por grupo variando de 3,6 a 9,48 indivíduos (6,47,50,65,66) , e nos Lhanos Venezuelanos, com média de 10,9 a 14 indivíduos por grupo (1)(2)(3)(4) .…”

“…Na área do campus é provável que exista uma tendência do grupo se manter numeroso ao longo do ano todo, já que é grande a oferta de alimento disponível, principalmente de cana-de-açúcar, inclusive com danos a esta cultura causado pelas capivaras. Segundo Ferraz et al (21) e Verdade & Ferraz (13) , nestas áreas alteradas, as fontes de alimentos disponíveis e a extinção local de grandes predadores são dois dos principais fatores que levam ao aparecimento desses grandes grupos, inclusive em matriz agrícola (21,22) , uma vez que as Capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) e a presença do carrapato... capivaras são herbívoros generalistas e oportunistas (67) .…”

“…Esta situação coloca estes animais cada vez mais em contato com o homem (20) , resultando em problemas como danos e prejuízos causados em culturas agrícolas (13,21,22) , animais em rodovias que provocam colisão com veículos, reduzindo a segurança nas estradas (23,24) e, o mais preocupante, o número elevado de capivaras podem contribuir para o crescimento da população de carrapatos, consequentemente aumentando a possibilidade de transmissão de doenças associadas a este ectoparasita (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) .…”