This is the startling moment a woman encountered an attack from a capybara while swimming in Colombia.
Incredible footage reveals how a leisurely swim with the large mammal took a dark turn when it lunged at the swimmer and assaulted her.
The young victim can be observed in mobile video raising her finger towards the creature to caution it to stay clear.
In a split second, it then sprang onto her back and seemingly bit at her head before she submerged.
The woman’s screams were audible as the sizable animal forced her out of the view while snapping at her.
Fortunately, a man appeared at the shore and seized a stick to protect the victim as she made her way back, crying.
She continued to lament off camera as the giant rodent resumed quietly floating in the lake.
Captured is the capybara mounting the woman before dragging her underwater
As the enormous rodent bites at her, the woman’s head submerges under the water
The woman cries out as she is pulled down by the large rodent
Capybaras graze on grass near a street in a gated community in Tigre, Buenos Aires province, on August 27, 2021
The frightening events were recorded in Ciénaga, northern Colombia, as stated by What’s The Jam.
One local remarked: ‘Just because you have seen footage of them being tranquil and adorable, it does not diminish the fact that they remain wild creatures.’
Another questioned: ‘But why would she swim alongside it?’
A user identifying herself as Lilith commented: ‘Aren’t capybaras regarded as calm and friendly?’
Nichi added: ‘Why did it take such a long time to assist her?! The thing was gnawing at her head and face!’
Capybaras, which are herbivorous rodents, are often seen as quite gentle creatures that will only bite when provoked or threatened.
Though semi-aquatic and able to sustain their breath underwater for nearly five minutes, they can also sprint at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour.
Their lifespan typically ranges from eight to 10 years and they usually weigh between 77 and 146 lbs.
Capybaras are viewed as quite gentle creatures that will only bite if provoked or threatened
Capybaras are semi-aquatic and capable of holding their breath underwater for nearly five minutes
The capybara persists in biting the woman as she is forced out of the frame
Indigenous to South America, capybaras hold the title of the largest existing rodents on the planet.
They inhabit thick forests and grasslands and live in proximity to water bodies.
Popular folklore suggests that Venezuelan clergy wrote to the Pope ‘sometime between the 16th and 18th century’ explaining how they had come across an animal living in water and possessing webbed feet.
They petitioned the Vatican to classify the animal as a fish, so they could consume it during Lent, a period when many abstain from meat.
The Catholic Church consented, and the capybara now enjoys a unique gastronomical standing, served as a delicacy during Easter even today in various regions of South America.
The largest rodent in the world reportedly tastes more akin to salty pork than fish.
The escape of a young capybara from a zoo in Shropshire sparked an online sensation late last year.
Cinnamon the capybara made her getaway from Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World on September 13 after being startled by a tractor mower.
She was swiftly located using a thermal drone approximately 200 meters from the zoo’s boundary.
Spotted happily grazing in lush fields, the owner mentioned she was likely ‘living her best life.’
A man with a stick approaches the scene to assist
The runaway rodent Cinnamon escaped from her enclosure in September last year
Before her rescue, concerns arose that Cinnamon might have wandered onto adjacent Ministry of Defence territory.
Thankfully, Cinnamon was recaptured on September 20, lured into a cage by her rescuers.
The zoo caring for Cinnamon stated that the incident generated significant interest in their operations and inspired teddy bears, magnets, and apparel.
A children’s book was reportedly in the works, and Will said he even kept ‘hearing rumors’ about a potential film being produced.