in the Life: Rain Forest Animals
^e'\nem ann
Anita Ganeri
Heinemann Library
Chicago, IL
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©2011 Heinemann Library Acknowledgments
an imprint of Capstone Global Library, LLC We would like to thank the following for permission to
Chicago, Illinois reproduce photographs: Corbis pp. 4 (© Kevin Schafer),
7 (© Theo Allofs), 9 (© Joe McDonald), 19 (© Theo
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be Allofs), 23 mammal (© Kevin Schafer); FLPA p. 12
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, (Jurgen & Christine Sohns); Getty Images pp. 16 (National
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, Geographic/Steve Winter), 23 jaguar (National Geographic/
taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, Steve Winter); Photolibrary pp. 6 (age fotostock/Morales
without permission in writing from the publisher. Morales), 11 (Oxford Scientific (OSF)/Mark Jones), 13
(age fotostock/Pablo Rodriguez), 14 (FI Online/Ritterbach
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Catherine Veitch McIntyre), 18 (Okapia/© Konrad Wothe), 20 (Oxford
Designed by Steve Mead Scientific (OSF)/Carlos Sastoque), 21 (Animals Animals/
Picture research by Mica Brancic Patti Murray); Photoshot pp. 10 (NHPA), 22 (imagebroker.
Originated by Capstone Global Library net), 23 webbed (imagebroker.net); Shutterstock pp. 23
Printed and bound in China by South China Printing rain forest (© Szefei), 5 (LockStockBob), 23 rodent
Company Ltd (LockStockBob).
14 13 12 11 10 Cover photograph of a capybara reproduced with permission
10 98765432 1 of Shutterstock (blewisphotography).
Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Back cover photographs of (left) capybara teeth reproduced
Publication Data with permission of Corbis (© Theo Allofs) and (right)
Ganeri, Anita capybara babies reproduced with permission of Photolibrary
Capybara / Anita Ganeri.— 1st ed. (age fotostock/Morales Morales).
p. cm.—(A day in the life: rain forest animals)
Includes bibliographical references and index. We would like to thank Michael Bright for his invaluable help
ISBN 978-1-4329-4110-9 (he)—ISBN 978-1-4329-4121-5 in the preparation of this book.
(pb) 1. Capybara—Juvenile literature. I. Title.
QL737.R662G36 2011 Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders
599.35’9—dc22 2010001132 of material reproduced in this book. Any omissions will
be rectified in subsequent printings if notice is given to
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All the internet addresses (URLs) given in this book were valid
at the time of going to press. However, due to the dynamic
nature of the Internet, some addresses may have changed
or ceased to exist since publication. While the author and
publishers regret any inconvenience this may cause readers, no
responsibility for any such changes can be accepted by either
the author or the publishers.
Contents
What Is a Capybara?.4
What Do Capybaras Look Like?.6
Where Do Capybaras Live?.8
What Do Capybaras Do at Night?.10
What Do Capybaras Eat?.12
Do Capybaras Live in Groups?.14
Does Anything Hunt Capybaras?.16
How Do Capybaras Escape from Enemies?.... 18
What Do Capybaras Do During the Day?.20
Capybara Body Map.22
Glossary.23
Find Out More.24
Index.24
Some words are in bold, like this. You can
find them in the glossary on page 23.
What Is a Capybara
A capybara is a mammal.
Many mammals have hairy bodies and
feed their babies milk.
4
Capybaras belong to a group of
mammals known as rodents.
Gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, and squirrels
are also rodents.
5
lfhat Do Capybaras
Look Like?
El
Capybaras have large, round bodies
and short legs.
Their bodies are covered in shaggy,
light-brown fur.
MH
ear
Capybaras have short, flat-topped
heads with small ears.
They have long, sharp front teeth for
eating grass and other plants.
7
Where Do Capybaras Live?
Capybaras live in the rain forests of
Central America and South America.
It is warm and wet in the rain forest
all year long.
8
Capybaras live close to rivers, ponds,
and streams in the rain forest.
They look for food on land and in
the water.
fJr*±
What Do Capybaras Do
at Might?
Capybaras usually start looking for food
in the evening.
Sometimes they stop for a rest. Then they
start to feed again.
10
In some places, capybaras are hunted
by people.
These capybaras look for food at night
when there are no people around.
11
What Do Capybaras Cat?
Capybaras eat grass and water
plants.
They also eat fruit and tree bark.
12
A capybara uses its long front teeth to
cut the plants up.
Then it chews them by moving the food
back and forth in its mouth.
13
Do Copybar as Live
in Groups?
Capybaras live in groups of 10 to 30
animals.
The capybaras bark, chirp, and whistle
to one another.
14
:oV. 'll*
§4* * ,;*:!> Klfe
.v- - *-'. . &9&g&
"'' ' I**'I* '
p lip
babies
When baby capybaras are born, all the
females in the group help look after them.
Capybara babies purr to their mother.
15
Jr p
Does Anything Hunt
Capybaras?
jaguar
At night, adult capybaras have to look
out for jaguars.
Young capybaras are also hunted by
eagles, snakes, and other animals.
16
Some people also hunt capybaras.
They eat their meat and use their skins
and teeth to make things.
17
Hew Do Capybaras
from Enemies?
If a capybara sees danger, it barks to
warn the others in the group.
Then the capybaras run away or dive
into water to hide.
18
Capybaras have webbed feet and are
good swimmers.
Their eyes, ears, and nostrils are on top
of their heads to help them swim.
19
What Do Capybaras Do
During the Day?
Capybaras spend the day resting on the
ground.
They do not go to sleep for long, but
take short naps instead.
20
It is hot during the day in the rain
forest.
Capybaras lie in the water or roll in the
mud to keep cool.
21
head
mouth
webbed foot
22
Glossary
aguar big cat that is a fierce rain
orest hunter
mammal animal that feeds its babies milk.
Most mammals have hair or fur.
rain forest thick forest with very tall trees
and a lot of rain
rodent animal such as a gerbil, mouse, rat,
squirrel, and capybara
webbed having flaps of skin between the
toes. Feet can be webbed.
23
Find Out More
Books
Gordon, Sharon. Rain Forest Animals. New York, NY: Marshall
Cavendish Benchmark, 2008.
Lunis, Natalie. Capybara: The World's Largest Rodent. New
York, NY: Bearport, 2010.
Websites
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/Facts/
capybarafacts.cfm
www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-capybara.html
Index
babies 15 rodents 5
Central America 8 sounds 14, 15
feeding 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 South America 8
hiding 1 8 swimming 19
jaguars 16 teeth 7, 13
mammals 4
people 11,17
resting 10,20
24
Where you find it!
BALTIMORE COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY
www.bcpl.info
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OCTOBER 2010
Can you find these in the book?
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teeth babies ^e'\nemoo/7
you WQnt t0 find 0urt•* ’
About the author: Anita Ganeri
is an award-winning author of
nonfiction books for young people,
She has written many books about
animals and the natural world. The A Day in the Life: Rain Forest Animals series looks
at a typical day and night in the lives of different types
Book consultant: Michael Bright of rain forest animals. There is also a body map in each
has traveled all over the world to title that labels parts of the animal's body.
film animals in action for the BBC
Natural History Unit. He has also
written books about sharks and Read and Learn is an extensive collection of
other animals. nonfiction books that help young readers discover
and understand the world around them. Headings in
the form of questions help children to focus and ask
Anaconda 978 1 4329 4123 9 their own questions. Read and Learn books contain
Capybara 978 1 4329 4121 5 intriguing pictures, a glossary, and an index, offering
Howler Monkey 978 1 4329 4124 6 young readers an introduction to these important
Jaguar 978 1 4329 4117 8 features of nonfiction text.
Lemur 978 1 4329 4122 2 Primary Life Scien
Macaw 978 1 4329 4116 1
Orangutan 978 1 4329 4118 5 ISBN 978-1-4329-4121-5
Piranha 978 1 4329 4119 2 Heinemann
Poison Dart Frog 978 1 4329 4115 4
Tarantula 978 1 4329 4120 8 Raintree
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heinemannraintree.com
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