{"id":14631,"date":"2025-06-14T17:33:06","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T17:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/blog\/capybara-or-ronsoco-learn-where-they-live-in-the-peruvian-jungle\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T01:18:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T01:18:17","slug":"capybara-or-ronsoco-learn-where-they-live-in-the-peruvian-jungle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/blog\/capybara-or-ronsoco-learn-where-they-live-in-the-peruvian-jungle\/","title":{"rendered":"Capybara or Ronsoco: Learn Where They Live in the Peruvian Jungle"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The capybara, or ronsoco, is the largest rodent on the planet and, without a doubt, one of the star animals of the Peruvian Amazon. Seeing it up close\u2014as it swims freely or rests on the riverbank\u2014is an experience every nature lover should experience. If you plan to search for it, staying at a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/\">hotel in Puerto Maldonado <\/a><\/strong>will put you just minutes from the reserves and waterways where these social creatures thrive.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14620 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736.jpg\" alt=\"capybara in the jungle\" width=\"1600\" height=\"959\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-768x460.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-1536x921.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-67x40.jpg 67w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-133x80.jpg 133w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-394x236.jpg 394w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-915x548.jpg 915w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-stephany-lorena-276313736-1240x743.jpg 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is a capybara or ronsoco?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The <i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris <\/i>belongs to the same family as guinea pigs, but can weigh more than 60 kg. With its brown fur and flat snout, the capybara is recognized in the jungle by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Amphibian adaptation: partially webbed toes for swimming.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Extreme sociability: groups of 10 to 20 individuals, led by a dominant male.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Relative longevity: up to 12 years in the wild if you avoid predators such as jaguars and alligators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[sotupa_en_banner]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where does the capybara live in the Peruvian jungle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/blog\/capibara-datos-curiosos-sorprenderan\/\">capybara, or ronsoco<\/a><\/strong>, requires nearby water year-round. In Peru, the best places to see it are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios): Sandoval and Valencia lakes are home to large herds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Pacaya Samiria (Loreto): The flooded lakes and meanders host constant populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Tahuamanu River and forested areas of<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Departamento_de_Ucayali\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Ucayali<\/a><\/strong>: right bank with sandy beaches where you can rest at sunset.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thanks to its widespread distribution, the capybara in the rainforest is an indicator of healthy ecosystems and waters rich in floating vegetation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What do capybaras eat?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>These rodents are strictly herbivores. Their daily menu includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Tender grasses and riparian grasses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Aquatic plants such as lilies and blowholes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Bark and fallen fruit during the growing season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Their teeth grow continuously, allowing them to gnaw through fibrous materials without excessive wear. When capybaras find food in abundance in the jungle, they spend up to eight hours grazing before submerging to regulate their temperature.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>When is it easiest to see capybaras?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Sightings depend on the season and time:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Dry season (May\u2013October): Water levels drop and capybaras concentrate on more accessible banks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Dry season (May\u2013October): Water levels drop and capybaras concentrate on more accessible banks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Full moon nights: Some guides offer nighttime boat trips where the glowing eyes of a capybara or ronsoco are revealed in the flashlight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14622 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704.jpg\" alt=\"ronsoco\" width=\"1600\" height=\"959\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-768x460.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-1536x921.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-67x40.jpg 67w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-133x80.jpg 133w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-394x236.jpg 394w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-915x548.jpg 915w, https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcelo-gonzalez-11413704-1240x743.jpg 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Are ronsocos dangerous?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The ronsoco is docile and usually flees rather than attack. However:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It will defend its young with strong bites if it feels cornered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It can transmit leptospirosis if its excrement is handled without caution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Reacts to stress: Getting too close or invading their escape route can cause canoeing accidents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Maintaining your distance and following your guide&#8217;s instructions ensures a safe and responsible encounter with the capybara in the jungle.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Curiosities about the capybara<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Social bathing: they dive in groups to regulate temperature and eliminate parasites.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Varied communication: they emit grunts, whistles and clicks to coordinate movements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Unexpected allies: birds like oxpeckers perch on capybaras and capybaras to feed on ticks, benefiting both.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Long-term swimming: They can stay underwater for up to five minutes; their eyes and nostrils on the top of their skull facilitate periscope-style breathing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Organic farmers: By creating paths through reed beds, they allow other species access to flooded areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Observing the capybara, or ronsoco, in the wild is a discovery of a key component of the Amazonian ecosystem. These peaceful giants are a testament to the richness of our rivers and floodplain forests. Plan your trip with local naturalists and don&#8217;t forget to <a href=\"https:\/\/andeanwingssotupaecolodge.reservadirecto.com\/lp.html?pos=AndeanWingsSotupaEcoLodge&amp;webcache=off&amp;tag=PmsLink&amp;appID=111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>book a hotel in Puerto Maldonado <\/strong><\/a>to have the jungle\u2014and its iconic capybaras\u2014right at your doorstep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The capybara, or ronsoco, is the largest rodent on the planet and, without a doubt, one of the star animals of the Peruvian Amazon. Seeing it up close\u2014as it swims freely or rests on the riverbank\u2014is an experience every nature &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/blog\/capybara-or-ronsoco-learn-where-they-live-in-the-peruvian-jungle\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":14625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure","category-explore-nature"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14631"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14823,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14631\/revisions\/14823"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotupa.pe\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}