rodents of unusual size

R.O.U.S.-es? I don't think they exist.
But they DO:

We pulled up to the bed, bath, & BEYOND parking lot in Southpark Meadows (not quite the fire-swamp in the Princess Bride) to discover this on a leash in front of us. A capybara sighting! Luckily I had my trusty camera in my bottomless purse (see! they DO come in handy). So I whipped it out and took a few prime photos of the capybara.

Here are a few facts pulled from Wikipedia:

• Capybaras are the largest rodent in the world.
• As adults they can weigh up to 140lbs.
• Though now extinct, there once existed larger capybaras 8 times the size of modern capybaras. That's larger than a grizzly bear!
• Capybaras are semi-aquatic mammals.
• They are found in the wild in/native to South America.
  
• Capybara's are herbivores, more specifically a graminivore.
• But not only that, they are coprophagous (Meaning they eat their own feces! Ewgh gross!).
• Capybaras are very social animals, found in groups.
• They also are very vocal: with purrs and alarm barks, whistles and clicks, squeals and grunts.
• Capybaras are gentle and will usually allow people to pet and hand-feed them.
• They can live up to 12 years in captivity.

For some reason the sound of the word capybara makes me want to adapt that old song to ...Capybara sits in the old gum tree....