Fernando de Noronha: Moco aka Rock Cavy

These adorable animals that locals call moco are rock cavies, relatives of capybara, and were brought and introduced to Fernando de Noronja from mainland eastern Brazil. They thrives in rocky, arid habitats on the archipelago, feeding on grasses, leaves, and fruits, and are active at dawn and dusk. They are agile climbers and can scale near-vertical cliffs and boulders with ease using strong claws and a tail tip for balance. They live in small family groups and when danger approaches (like a hawk or tourist), one cavy lets out a sharp, high-pitched whistle and the whole group instantly freezes. They are quite small – only 1/40th the size of a capybara – but are close relatives. These are the only mammals on the island.