In this episode I am joined by Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, a Capybara researcher and a Professor at Bethune Cookman University. In the episode we start with Beth’s experience with collecting and analyzing data at the Cleveland Zoo and Beth’s research on primates for her Master’s thesis. Then we get into the main focus of the episode, Capybaras! Beth compares Capybaras to other rodents, reviews the regions where they live, their diets, how they communicate, why they swim in the water, why they are so seemingly chill and much more. I hope you enjoy!

Ologies Podcast episode with Dr. Elizabeth Congdon: https://www.alieward.com/ologies/hydrochoerology

PAPERS:

Natal dispersal and new group formation in capybaras in a seasonally flooded savanna of Venezuela (Beth’s PhD thesis): https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/561/

Self discrimination in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3887474/

Status of Capybaras & Potential for Establishment in Florida: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345844506

WHERE TO SEE CAPYBARAS:

Pantanal, Brazil (In the wild)

Capybara Cafe in St. Augustine Florida, USA (Animal sanctuary)

BOOKS:

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

CONNECT:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/

GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG

Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0

Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824

Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN

iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV

|-Video Chapters-|

0:00 – Intro

1:29 – Beth’s interest in animals growing up

2:39 – Conducting Research at the Cleveland Zoo

6:36 – Researching primates in the wild

12:10 – Why are primatologists located in the anthropology department of universities?

15:14 – What is a Capybara?

16:29 – Capybaras compared to other rodents

19:41 – What regions are Capybaras found in?

21:25 – Capybara’s diet

22:54 – A hypothesis on why Capybaras are so chill

24:02 – The size of Capybaras

25:02 – Time to adulthood and lifespans of Capybaras

27:03 – How male Capybaras become dominant

29:59 – Capybara communications

30:54 – Capybaras are semi-aquatic

34:54 – The area used by wild Capybaras

36:07 – Capybaras and predators

39:08 – Capybaras and birds

40:30 – Beth’s current research

42:46 – If Beth could do any type of Capybara research she wanted

46:59 – Are Capybaras cuddly?

47:34 – The feasibility of having a Capybara as a pet

48:44 – Would Capybaras be able to survive on their own in Florida?

51:25 – Capybara Litter sizes

52:58 – Where to see Capybaras in Central and South America

55:09 – Capybara Sanctuary in St. Augustine, Florida

57:03 – Beth’s favorite Capybara reference in pop culture

57:47 – Which dog breed is most like Capybaras?

59:18 – Beth’s favorite moments with Capybaras

1:02:02 – If Beth could study another species besides Capybaras it would be…

1:04:12 – Book recommendations

1:07:37 – Conclusion