I Met a Capybara at Ghost Ranch Exotics in Arizona—and it Was Unforgettable

As someone who loves animals, I often watch dozens of animal videos each time I scroll on social media. That's how I discovered capybaras, and after seeing numerous short-form videos on these creatures, the largest rodents on the planet, I became obsessed! After a short time, ads for a farm offering capybara encounters in Arizona were peppered in my Facebook feed. The targeted advertising worked. I told my fiancé about this farm, and he reserved an experience for my birthday in August. I was so excited to finally meet capybaras on what became an unforgettable experience at Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm in Marana, Arizona. I am excited to share what I learned about capybaras and review this animal encounter.

What is a Capybara?

Many people know what a capybara is because numerous videos have gone viral on social media. For those of you who don't know, capybaras are the world's largest rodents, originating in South America. They can grow over four feet long, two feet high, and weigh over 140 lbs. They can also live up to seven years in the wild and even longer in captivity.

The scientific name for a capybara is Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, or "water pig. " They are named so because of their semi-aquatic nature and the fact that once upon a time, they were mistaken for a species of pig. While they are rodents, their bodies are similar in shape to pigs, and they have coarse hair, which is meant to dry quickly after they emerge from water. Capybaras are strong swimmers with webbed feet and ears, nose, and eyes are high on their heads so they can remain alert to predators and other dangers with their heads above the water while swimming.

They are also social creatures that live by water in herds, are herbivores, and can coexist with many other species due to their gentle, friendly demeanors.

Misconceptions About Capybaras

There are some misconceptions about capybaras and how they are portrayed in social media videos. Many of us have seen the video of a capybara riding on the back of an alligator as it swims through the water. Cute, right? Judging by this video, you wouldn't expect an alligator, a major predator, to eat a capybara, a prey animal. Although it is rare for one of these giant reptiles to eat the world's largest rodent, it can still happen, especially if the capybara is young or weak. Jaguars, pumas, caimans, anacondas, and eagles are other predators of the cabybara.

Some also believe that a capybara would make a great pet. While they are incredibly cute and sweet, and that seems like a great idea, many factors must be considered. First of all, these semi-aquatic rodents need a lot of outdoor space plus water for swimming to live a happy and healthy life. And since they are herd animals, thriving in the company of others, you would need to get more than one. Care is expensive, they have specialized diets, and depending on where you live, it may be illegal to own one. The best thing to do is visit a farm or a zoo where these animals can live and thrive.

The Capybara Experience at Ghost Ranch Exotics

To get to Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm requires a drive down a desolate dirt road in Marana, a town outside of Tucson. Upon arrival at our scheduled private encounter, my partner, his two sons, and I, with my son and daughter, were greeted at the entrance by Traci, one of the ranch's tour guides, who gave an overview of the experience and capybara behaviors before leading us to the first enclosure, which had just two capybaras. Traci brought a bucket of romaine lettuce for us to feed the two capybaras, who were such sweet, friendly creatures.

After about 10 minutes here, we were led to a much larger enclosure with a large group of adults capybaras who were a bit more aggressive (in a friendly way) than the first two we met. The enclosure had shade structures, benches for the animals to climb on and humans to sit on, and swimming pools. If we sat on one of the boxes, a capybara would jump up and sit next to us, nudging us to pay attention, give it some lettuce, and even nibble on our clothes. We were all having a great time, and then Traci brought us to a third location where the baby capybaras were. As we approached the enclosure, Traci told us that the babies tend to stay inside the enclosure's large cave-like structure to keep cool. As we entered the gate to the enclosure, several babies approached us. However, I went straight to the cave to take a peek inside. Here is where several baby capybaras were hanging out. As I knelt down on one knee, one of the babies climbed right onto my lap! It was so sweet.

We spent about 15 minutes with the babies, and then it was time to leave. Overall, having an encounter like this was a fantastic experience. It seemed to me that the animals were happy and well-cared for, which is essential for anyone considering an animal encounter anywhere.

Other Animals at Ghost Ranch Exotics

Ghost Ranch is home to many other animal species, including one I had never heard of before — the Patagonian mara. Several maras were in the same enclosure as the adult capybaras, and as if I needed another species to obsess over, they fascinated me, too! While capybaras have coarse hair, the maras have incredibly soft fur, almost like that of chinchillas. Other animals at Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm include porcupines, warthogs, goats, emus, donkeys, kangaroos, a cow, a water buffalo, peacocks, and more. Spending time here with my partner and our kids was an experience we won't soon forget!

If you'd like to book a private capybara encounter, visit the Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm website. There are also special pricing days for AZ Locals, AZ students, and members of the military. The farm also offers Mobile Petting Zoo services for birthday parties and other events in the Tucson and Phoenix areas. You can also visit the Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm Facebook page for updates and to view more farm photos.

For more animal experiences around the state, take a safari at Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde or drive through a Ponderosa pine forest to spot bears and other wildlife at Bearizona in Williams.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own Arizona adventures using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.