A young woman has been attacked by a capybara, known as the world’s largest rodent, while swimming in a lake.
The terrifying ordeal took place in Ciénaga, in the north of Colombia. The victim had spotted the animal, and walked backwards in the water while raising her finger to warn it to stay away. However, it launched itself at her without warning.
Capybaras typically only attack humans if provoked or threatened.
The woman in the lake became distressed, screaming as she tried to free herself from the rodent’s repeated attacks. It jumped on her back and appeared to start biting her head.
Suddenly, a man came to her rescue, appearing on the banks of the lake, picking up a large stick to defend himself as he helped her out of the water.
Locals reacted to the shocking scenes in the South American country, reports the Mirror.
One said: “Just because you’ve seen videos of them being calm and cute, it doesn’t take away from the fact that they are still wild animals.”
Mary wrote: “How terrifying. This is not funny, poor girl.”
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Tia remarked: “She didn’t fight back.”
Nichi said: “Why did it take so long to help her? The thing was biting her head and face.”
Capybaras are native to South America, and are the largest living rodents on Earth. They live near bodies of water in dense forests and savannas, with a maximum lifespan of between eight and 10 years. Weighing up to 146 lbs, they are considered to be docile creatures that only bite if provoked or threatened.
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