Giant Capybara Fossils Over 4.5 Million Years Old Discovered in Chile

A team of Chilean paleontologists made an extraordinary discovery in the Renaico commune, La Araucanía Region: they unearthed fossilized remains of giant capybaras over 4.5 million years old. This event rewrites the country's natural history, confirming the presence of these prehistoric rodents in central-southern Chile during the Early Pliocene. The research, published in the "Journal of South American Earth Sciences", reveals a past ecology vastly different from today's.

The discovery occurred during excavations for a wind farm, conducted by the paleontological consultancy THERIUM. A fossilized molar, notable for its size and shape, alerted researchers to the potential presence of a large rodent. Karina Buldrini, the study's lead author, explained that the tooth's morphology indicated an animal related to modern capybaras, the largest rodents on the planet.

The unearthed remains were not limited to the molar. The team also found incisors, femur fragments, and part of a pelvis. These fossils belong to the genus Phugatherium, an extinct relative of "Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris", the modern capybara. While capybaras are now viral on social media, they are not part of Chile's current wild fauna.

This finding marks a significant milestone: it is the first anatomical evidence of capybaras in Chile. Furthermore, it represents the first fossil record of continental Neogene mammals in the Chilean Central Depression. The research was led by Martín Chávez and Karina Buldrini, with support from scientists at the National Museum of Natural History and the Corporation for Research and Advancement of Paleontology and Natural History (Ciahn) of Atacama.

These "giant capybaras" could measure up to two meters and weigh around 300 kilograms, similar to a modern tapir.

Experts date the fossils to the Early Pliocene, an era characterized by radically different climate and ecosystems. The study's authors describe the Renaico area as featuring a heterogeneous landscape. This combined wetlands and open habitats, ideal environments for these large rodents.

Analysis of the bones and teeth revealed the impressive dimensions of these "giant capybaras". They could measure up to two meters and weigh around 300 kilograms, similar to a modern tapir. The magnitude of these animals suggests the existence of large bodies of water and extensive wetlands. The disappearance of these prehistoric capybaras from Chile is directly linked to climate change and the progressive loss of their aquatic ecosystems.