‘Did Someone Who Hates Capybaras Write This?’ WSJ Mocked for Article on the Internet’s Favorite Rodent

Sarah RumpfOct 11th, 2021, 6:57 pm
 
capybaras just hanging out and being chill

Photo by MARA SOSTI/AFP via Getty Images.

Capybaras are one of the internet’s most beloved critters, with their perpetually bemused facial expressions and penchant for getting along with pretty much every other animal on the planet. “It’s like if a moose met a hamster who met a dog and they all mated to create this beautiful, beautiful life of the party,” said one archived Buzzfeed post on the herbivores.

So when The Wall Street Journal cast aspersions on the reputation of the world’s largest (and perhaps most photogenic) rodent, you had to know it wasn’t going to go well.

An article published on Sunday titled “Rodents the Size of St. Bernards Swarm an Exclusive Gated Community” set off a deluge of criticism, especially after the article hit Twitter.

The subhed set the tone:

The world’s largest rodents bully pets, roam tony streets and soil pristine lawns in Argentina, triggering demands for them to be relocated or castrated

Dang, that’s harsh.

Capybaras are seen on the grass in a gated community in Tigre, Buenos Aires province, on August 26, 2021. – Several families of capybaras stroll through Nordelta, one of the most exclusive gates communities in Argentina. They slowly cross the main street and feed in the gardens of the mansions. They have become an attraction and the centre of controversy over conservation policies. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)

The article went on to describe how the capybaras in the “lavish” neighborhood of Nordelta in Tigre, Argentina “roam about in record numbers, munching on manicured lawns and scuffling with family pets.” Local residents have formed “[d]ueling WhatsApp chat groups” debating how to deal with the giant rodents.

Capybara defenders point out that they were there first; the Nordelta development was built on swampy lands they had long called home. Photos of the neighborhood show the wetlands nature of the area.

Aerial view of a gated community in Tigre, Buenos Aires province, on August 27, 2021 constructed on the wetlands of the Parana Delta. – Several families of capybaras stroll through Nordelta, one of the most exclusive gates communities in Argentina. They slowly cross the main street and feed in the gardens of the mansions. They have become an attraction and the centre of controversy over conservation policies. (Photo by MAGALI CERVANTES / AFP) 

The conflict between the rich Nordelta homeowners and the meme-able critters was tailor-made for a Twitter spat, with many commenting on the Journal’s seeming anti-capybara bias — and several references to the “Rodents of Unusual Size” from the movie The Princess Bride.

The capybaras’ fate has attracted the interest of locals, inspiring art and environmental activism.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.