Luciano Sampietro, a veterinarian, used a blow dart to sedate two capybaras in a wealthy suburb of Buenos Aires, where the animals have become a controversial issue. The sedation was part of a population control effort that included sterilizing a pregnant female and preventing a male from further impregnating females.
The capybara, a large rodent native to South America, has gained popularity online, yet in Nordelta, a gated community of 45,000 residents, they have become problematic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the capybara population has reportedly tripled, leading to increased sightings near recreational areas and causing concerns among residents regarding traffic accidents and potential aggression toward small dogs.
While some residents express concern over the capybaras' presence and the threat they pose to pets and children, others advocate for their protection. A small group of residents has protested against the sterilization efforts, arguing that the capybaras are harmless and an integral part of the community's charm.
In response to the growing capybara population, the local government has initiated a contraceptive vaccination program aimed at sterilizing 250 adult capybaras. This approach, which uses a drug designed for pigs, is intended to control reproduction without altering the animals' behavior significantly.
Critics of the sterilization efforts point out that the capybara population surge is a consequence of habitat destruction caused by urban development in Nordelta, which has transformed the area from wetlands into a residential community. Advocates for the capybaras are calling for the establishment of a nature reserve to protect the species and restore their natural habitat.
As the debate continues, residents remain divided on the best approach to manage the capybara population, reflecting broader tensions between wildlife conservation and urban development.