Why are there always so many small animals around capybaras?

If life is a game, then friends are the most special characters in this game. They are not restricted by blood, gender, race, or even species. The "friendship" born from friends gives individuals diverse development directions, thus forming a closely connected and layered society.

Like humans, most animals have friends, and their relationships with each other are simple: a person with whom they can get along easily, a good "dinner partner", or a neighbor who provides risk warnings.

Today we will find out what the friends of animals are like?

Capybara’s “circle of friends”

Capybara is a semi-aquatic mammal native to South America, living mainly in dense forests near lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds and other water bodies. Although it is called a capybara, it is not a small pig in the water, but more like a "big rat" in the water, and is a close relative of animals of the Guinea Pig family such as guinea pigs and rock cavies.

Image source: Horus2017/Shutterstock.com

From the outside, the capybara is sturdy, up to 1.3 meters long and weighing about 35 to 66 kilograms, making it the largest rodent in the world. Normally, a mouse of this size would not be welcomed, but the capybara's appearance seems to be naturally friendly, with a round body. Whether it is the head or the body, including the slightly squinting eyes, everything does not look aggressive, and looks harmless.

Capybaras usually live in groups of 10 to 20. Photo credit: Giedriius/Shutterstock.com

In fact, capybaras are really quite "Buddhist". Their every move exudes a sense of leisure. For example, they take a bath in the water with only their nose and eyes exposed, or lie on the sand with their belly exposed and take a nap, as if they have no worldly desires.

Image source: Sergio Bitran M

They are gentle and can get along well with many animals. Capybaras like to sleep by the water, which attracts other animals to come and rest, including turtles, birds, ducks and even monkeys, who enjoy taking a nap by the water.

Capybara "Zoo" Photo credit: Mok Nali

Sometimes in the wild, capybaras are forced to become a means of transportation. Some birds and monkeys will jump onto the capybaras' backs for a ride, but they don't care. It can be said that as long as their lives are not in danger, nothing else matters.

Image source: animalssittingoncapybaras

Precisely because of this peaceful and simple character, capybaras have become a spiritual harbor for modern people, bringing some comfort to busy people.

Just ask yourself, who doesn’t want to have a “capybara-like” friend?

Nepenthes lowii and shrews

But Nepenthes lowii, which lives in Borneo in Southeast Asia, has evolved a new strategy: they found a "dinner partner" - a shrew from the order Shrews .

Shrews visiting Nepenthes lowii at night

To put it simply, Nepenthes lowii provides nectar for shrews, and shrews provide it with feces. For Nepenthes, animal feces contain many undigested food residues, which can provide it with the nutrients it needs.

In order to provide this "dinner partner" with a better integrated dining and toileting experience, the Lowey pitcher plant has specially modified its "trap bag". First, the smooth material on the edge of the bag was removed to prevent the shrew from slipping into the bag when defecating.

Shrew licking nectar. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.

Secondly, in order to adapt to the size of shrews, the pitcher plant also enlarged the opening of the bag and increased the distance between the opening and the leaves above, creating a good toilet environment for shrews.

Seeing that the pitcher plant is so considerate, the shrew is of course also responsible. After enjoying the delicious food, it usually leaves its excrement in the bag for the pitcher plant to absorb. Through this special cooperation model, both parties have benefited, which can be regarded as a model of mutual benefit and mutual assistance.

Birds are the best friends of gray squirrels

For most animals in the wild, it is very important to know where predators are. To this end, they use various sources of information in the environment (such as smell, sound, color) as early warning signals.

For example, gray squirrels living in the forest pay attention to the chatter of their songbird neighbors and get warning messages about predators from them.

Gray squirrel eavesdropping on a tree. Image source: the scientist magazine

Gray squirrels are very alert animals. Whether they are foraging or exercising, they will stop from time to time to observe the surrounding environment. However, long-term vigilance will not only reduce their foraging efficiency, but also consume their physical strength.

To do this, they take advantage of their avian neighbors in the environment, as they share a common predator: the red-tailed hawk.

Image source network

When songbirds spot a red-tailed hawk, they will sound a warning sound, and the gray squirrels will immediately go into alert mode, with some standing still and others hiding in tree holes.

When the songbirds chirped and chattered, the gray squirrels felt more at ease and looked up less often. And the longer the gray squirrels lived in the same place with the songbirds, the more relaxed they became, spending less time and energy on guarding their surroundings, and more time on foraging and courting mates.

Image source: Dgwildlife

Birds of a feather flock together.

It’s no coincidence that vulnerable groups in an ecosystem often show cooperative or dependent behaviors, because animals (including humans) with friends (or partners) can better cope with challenges or difficulties, as has been demonstrated in humans and other social groups. Without friends, we might not be able to thrive so well.

Author: Fish

Winner of the Silver Award for Outstanding Science Popularization Works of China Science Writers Association

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Editor: Guru