Proč je kapybara tak populární? Příběh nejklidnějšího zvířete internetu

The capybara is one of those animals that hardly anyone talked about a few years ago, and now even preschoolers know it.

If someone at home reminds you of capybaras every single day, here’s where it all came from.

So what is it, exactly?

The capybara is the largest living rodent in the world. Big ones weigh over sixty kilos and are about a metre long. It looks like a giant guinea pig, and the two really are related.

It lives in South America near water, in groups of dozens, and is an excellent swimmer and diver. Its name comes from the language of the Guaraní people and roughly means “master of the grasses”.

It has one clever anatomical feature. Its nostrils, eyes and ears sit high on its head, so it can be almost completely underwater and still breathe and look around normally.

Where did all the fame come from?

The turning point came in September 2020, when a YouTube video appeared of a capybara riding in the passenger seat of a car, set to a song by rapper Don Toliver. The format was copied and remixed over and over.

Then in mid-2022 a song came out whose lyrics are basically just the word “capybara” repeated, and it took over TikTok. The hashtag capybaratok has over 140 million views.

Interestingly, the capybara was popular in Japan long before that. A cartoon character called Capybara-san has existed there since 2003, and its popularity is comparable to Hello Kitty.

Why the capybara?

The capybara became famous for the vibe it gives off. It’s never in a hurry, never overreacts, and lets birds, monkeys and even turtles sit on it without batting an eye.

Online, it became a symbol of calm and keeping things in perspective. At a time when everything is fast and stressful, an animal that just soaks in the water without a care in the world is quite refreshing.

And then there’s the look. A boxy head, small eyes and an expression you could read as total serenity. It isn’t classically cute like a kitten, but that’s exactly why people remember it.

Why kids want one so badly

Kids know the capybara from videos and from Minecraft, where it appeared as an animal you can keep.

The combination of “it’s huge, it’s calm and it’s friends with everyone” works on kids every time. A capybara doesn’t threaten anyone, and that matters to younger children.

You can’t keep one at home

The capybara is a social animal that needs a group, access to water and lots of space. It doesn’t belong in a flat or an ordinary garden, and in Czechia you’ll practically only see one at the zoo.

If you’d like to see a live one, go and visit. A few live in Czech zoos and wildlife parks, and they’re reliably entertaining, because they’re usually soaking somewhere.

Our version

We make the capybara as a flexi figure on our 3D printers. Its body bends, it can stand or sit, and it keeps that typical calm expression.

We make it in several colors. We print from PLA made from corn or potato starch, and every piece is finished by hand in our workshop. CE certified, suitable for ages 3+.

A fun fact to finish: quite a lot of our capybaras go to adults who want one on their desk at work. Probably because of all that serenity.