Defend The Friendliest Animals On Earth From Cruel And Needless Hunting

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Colombia’s gentle capybaras now face slaughter, yet the true danger lies in vanishing wetlands poisoned and drained for profit, leaving both wildlife and people at risk of an irreversible ecological collapse.

Defend The Friendliest Animals On Earth From Cruel And Needless Hunting

Colombia is considering allowing commercial hunting of capybaras, the gentle giants of the wetlands often called the friendliest animals on the planet. Supporters argue quotas would not harm the species, but this ignores the real danger: the destruction of their habitat1.

Capybaras are vital to Colombia’s ecosystems. Their grazing keeps wetland vegetation in balance, opening pathways for water and providing food for predators like jaguars and caimans3. They are more than prey or meat; they are ecosystem engineers that sustain life in the Orinoquía floodplains.

A Cruel and Unnecessary Distraction

Scientists note that populations can rebound quickly, but animal advocates stress that hunting misses the point. The threat is not numbers, but the loss of the floodplains themselves. Expanding rice, palm, soy, and sugarcane plantations are draining rivers, fragmenting forests, and poisoning waterways with pesticides1. These pressures strip away the very habitat capybaras — and countless other species — need to survive.

To permit slaughter now would be cruel and unnecessary. It risks fueling illegal killing, distracting from enforcement failures, and weakening Colombia’s standing as a global leader in biodiversity protection4. Once market demand is legitimized, regulating hunting in remote regions becomes almost impossible.

A Question of Humanity

Capybaras have lived alongside Indigenous and rural communities for centuries, valued not just as food but as part of cultural tradition. Yet modern pressures require modern solutions. Compassion and humanity must guide Colombia’s choices. Protecting these animals means safeguarding the wetlands they call home, ensuring future generations inherit thriving ecosystems instead of barren rice fields and drained rivers5.

Act Now to Protect the Friendliest Animal on the Planet

The decision facing Colombia is not only about capybaras. It is about how the country balances cultural heritage, rural livelihoods, and the survival of irreplaceable ecosystems. Hunting will not solve the true crisis. Protecting habitat will.

Join us in calling on Colombia’s leaders to reject capybara slaughter and prioritize conservation. Sign the petition today and help secure a future built on compassion, balance, and respect for life.

More on this issue:

  1. Emma Jaramillo Bernat, El País (1 Sep 2025), "Colombia plans to allow commercial hunting of the ‘friendliest animal on the planet’."
  2. Supertrooper, Focusing on Wildlife (9 Sep 2025), "Colombia’s Plan to Hunt Capybaras Sparks Outrage and Environmental Debate."
  3. Michael Muir, The Cool Down (29 Jul 2025), "Lawmakers back down from controversial plan that would permit hunting of beloved creatures."
  4. Natalia Falah, Colombia One (2 Sep 2025), "Colombia Mulls Authorizing Hunting of Capybara."
  5. Nicholas Vincent, OneGreenPlanet (9 Sep 2025), "Colombia’s Plan to Hunt Capybaras Sparks Outrage and Environmental Debate."

The Petition

To the Office of the President of Colombia, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Vice Ministry of Environmental Policies and Normalization, and the Congressional Committees on Environment and Natural Resources:

We, the undersigned, urge you to reject proposals allowing the commercial hunting of capybaras in Colombia.

The capybara — often called the “friendliest animal on the planet” — is more than a species. It is an integral part of Colombia’s wetlands and savannas. These gentle animals maintain ecosystems by grazing vegetation, supporting biodiversity, and serving as prey for iconic predators like jaguars and caimans. To open the door to their slaughter is to ignore the ecological, cultural, and moral weight of their existence.

Scientists may argue that limited hunting could be sustainable. But sustainability cannot be measured in quotas alone. The true threat facing capybaras is not their numbers, but the destruction of their natural environment. Vast rice, soy, palm, and sugarcane plantations are draining and fragmenting the Orinoquía floodplains. Pesticides, diverted rivers, and deforestation are already pushing countless species toward collapse. To authorize hunting now would be a cruel and unnecessary distraction from the urgent need to protect these vanishing habitats.

Colombia has long prided itself on being one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Authorizing commercial hunting of such a beloved species risks tarnishing that reputation, sending a message that short-term gain outweighs long-term stewardship. Instead, we ask you to focus on habitat recovery, enforcement of environmental laws, and investment in sustainable agriculture that coexists with wildlife.

There is also a deeper responsibility. Animals like the capybara remind us of the values of compassion and humanity. How we treat them reflects who we are as a nation and as a people. Choosing protection over exploitation honors Colombia’s natural heritage and sets an example for the world.

By ending the threat of capybara slaughter and prioritizing the health of their ecosystems, you will help ensure a future where people, wildlife, and the land we share can thrive together.

Sincerely,

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