{"id":31331,"date":"2021-12-06T19:12:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T00:12:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mathkind.flywheelsites.com\/?post_type=global-math-stories&p=31331"},"modified":"2026-04-11T19:51:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T23:51:00","slug":"argentina-nordelta","status":"publish","type":"global-math-stories","link":"https:\/\/mathkind.org\/es\/global-math-stories\/argentina-nordelta\/","title":{"rendered":"Argentina | Nordelta"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”6px||30px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||15px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”||10px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ header_3_text_color=”#0a1766″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

ARGENTINA<\/h3>\n
\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ header_text_color=”#0a1766″ header_font_size=”42px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

World’s Largest Rodent<\/h1>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_text_color=”#279b45″ text_line_height=”1em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

By Chadd McGlone<\/p>\n

Chapel Hill, NC, United States<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Take a hippopotamus, shrink it, add shaggy, brown hair, and remove its tail. What do you get? A capybara, the world\u2019s largest rodent.<\/p>\n

This two-foot-tall mammal lives in the wetland regions of South America. It is a friendly, docile creature that can weigh up to 170 pounds, which makes it 85 times bigger than its closest relative, the guinea pig.<\/p>\n

Water Hogs<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Capybaras are sometimes called water hogs, because they are excellent swimmers. They usually live in forested areas near bodies of water. As herbivores, they eat grass and aquatic plants. They can hold their breath for five minutes when grazing underwater or hiding from predators. They can also sleep in water while their noses float above the surface.<\/p>\n

Dual Personalities<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Capybaras have two sides to their personalities. On the one hand, they are cautious, which protects them from their many predators. Wild cats, caimans, eagles, and even the green anaconda hunt capybaras. A capybara is good at escaping, though, because it can run up to 22 miles per hour on land.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, capybaras are friendly and outgoing. They often live in groups of 10 to 30, even within a herd of 100. They get along well with other species, like birds, who will perch on their backs to nibble insects from their fur. They are often vocal with each other using a variety of sounds. When they are chattering, chirping, squealing, and barking at each other, they are communicating important information that keeps their group members safe.<\/p>\n

Whose Home Is It Anyway?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Things become interesting when people move into the capybara\u2019s natural habitat. This human-animal overlap has happened in Nordelta, Argentina<\/strong>. In the late 1990s, real-estate developers claimed a large wetland area in the Buenos Aires suburbs to build expensive homes. They cleared 3,000 acres along the Paran\u00e1 River, South America\u2019s second-largest river. They removed dangerous predators but allowed the cute, sociable capybaras to remain.<\/p>\n

Initially, the capybara population was decimated from habitat loss. Over time, however, at the top of the local food chain, their numbers rebounded. Experts estimate that as many as 400 capybaras enjoy luxurious living in this gated community. Now, capybaras regularly graze in peoples\u2019 yards, meander through school playgrounds, and treat the neighborhood as one big toilet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Nordelta6-copy.jpeg” title_text=”Nordelta6 copy” show_bottom_space=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Homes along an inlet in Nordelta<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Pets or Pests<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Questions about how to handle this situation have sparked debate. Some people advocate for the capybaras, insisting that nature laid claim to the wetlands first. They want the Argentinian government to protect the rodents from culling.<\/p>\n

Others see the animals as pests instead of pets. Sure, the creatures are friendly and cute, but they also destroy landscaping, scare the family dog, and leave unpleasant reminders of their presence \u201cbehind.\u201d<\/p>\n

What do you<\/em> think?<\/p>\n

Have a suggestion for this story? We\u2019d love for you to\u00a0submit it<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1-1.png” alt=”stilt fisherman in Sri Lanka” title_text=”1″ align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/GMS-featured-image.png” alt=”Stilt fisherman in Sri Lanka” title_text=”Argentina Nordelta GMS capybaras in water” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.3″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Blank” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”display: none; ” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Blank<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Math Resources” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.3″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. You decide to adopt a capybara. Based on your knowledge that one guinea pig needs about 7.5 square feet of space to stay healthy, how much space will you give your one capybara? You read in the story that capybaras like to live in groups, so you adopt two more of them. Now, how much space do they need?<\/li>\n
  2. Capybaras eat between six and eight pounds of plant food each day.\n