11. Cultural Significance and Human Interaction
Capybaras have been quite important in many South American civilisations during history, impacting regional customs, folklore, and business activity. Long valued for their meat, hide, and fat, indigenous people have created sustainable hunting methods that help to preserve good numbers of these animals. In some areas, they are regarded as a customary meal during Lent as the Catholic Church historically labelled them as “fish” because of their semi-aquatic character. Modern contacts with people vary from agricultural conflicts to ecotourism attractions, which results in different management approaches along their spectrum. Their growing popularity as exotic pets in several nations begs serious issues of ethical treatment of animals and preservation of species.
zi ang