A large South American rodent similar to a guinea pig, also known as a capybara.
From Tupi (Brazilian indigenous language) 'ara' meaning water, reflecting the animal's semi-aquatic habitat. The word entered English through Portuguese colonial documentation of South American wildlife.
The aru is the world's largest living rodent—imagine a guinea pig the size of a sheep! Indigenous peoples of South America have known about these gentle creatures for thousands of years, and their name reflects how deeply connected they are to wetland ecosystems.
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