Capybara isn’t native anywhere near Texas. It’s a South American rodent, the largest in the world, and the handful of Texas records almost certainly trace back to the state’s exotic game-ranch industry, escapees or intentionally released animals from Hill Country and South Texas ranches that keep exotic species for hunting or display, rather than any wild, self-sustaining population. USGS NAS lists just one confirmed nonindigenous Texas occurrence, with no established population reported.
The 11 records barely register on a calendar, just two, both in fall, nowhere near enough to say anything about timing or behavior. Capybaras are strong swimmers tied to rivers and wetlands, so if a self-sustaining group ever does take hold here, it would likely be along a permanent waterway, not the dry-country places sometimes listed as sightings.
