CAPYBARAS RECLAIM THEIR LAND

For the past few days, the world's largest rodent has spread panic in the gated city of Nordelta which is very close to the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. This rodent’s scientific name is Hydrochoerus Hydrochaeris and is commonly known as capybara. The Nordelta city began to form with a multi-million-dollar project funded by the government in the 1990s. Capybaras that inhabited the land lost their home and gradually decreased in population until 2010. But this year they are back and increasing in number. According to environmentalists, in fact, capybaras rats have come to Nordelta to take back their homes. Although, it is said that they are not violent and their behaviour towards pets or humans has not been aggressive, the news report that a large proportion of these rats are roaming comfortably pooping around the city destroying gardens, and attacking pets. Numerous road accidents involving capybaras have also been reported.

Environmentalists believe that there are about 450 capybaras roaming around Nordelta. The locals said that they loved nature, but living with these eighty-kilogram creatures is not what they want. Residents of Nordelta say it is better to let the rats live elsewhere than to kill them. They feel that these rodents roaming freely in human territory, is extremely dangerous. Some angry locals also said that they would shoot the rats, although no such incident has come to light so far.

On the other hand, environmental activists have also started demonstrations to save capybaras rats. They are protesting by wearing capybaras-like clothes, with banners and posters in their hands. Activists want the government to move capybaras rats to a safer place, or let them stay there.

According to Enrique Viel, a famous lawyer fighting for environmental rights in Argentina said,” It is like a cycle, real estate developers, along with the government, infiltrated and damaged habitats of the poor rats in the name of human civilization. The builders tried to bring people here and forced the creatures to flee. Now they are back to claim their motherland. The locals don’t want capybaras around them. This is wrong, one cannot drive them away from their Origins”

----- SHRESHTA SINHA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93RHBDK0NoM