This is the shocking moment a woman was attacked by a capybara while swimming in Colombia.
Shocking video shows how a paddle with the huge rodent took a sinister turn when it lunged at the swimmer and attacked.
In the telephone images the young victim can be seen raising her finger towards the animal to warn it to keep its distance.
In an instant it jumped on his back and apparently bit his head before diving into the water.
The woman’s screams could be heard as the large animal pushed her out of the frame while biting her.
In a stroke of luck, a man reached the shore and grabbed a stick to defend the victim when he reached the shore sobbing.
She continued to cry off-camera as the huge rodent swayed silently in the lake again.
The capybara is seen mounting the woman before dragging her underwater.

The woman’s head sinks underwater as the huge rodent bites her.

The woman moans as she is dragged down by the huge rodent.

Capybaras eat grass next to a street in a gated community in Tigre, Buenos Aires province, on August 27, 2021.
The terrifying scenes were filmed in Ciénaga, northern Colombia, as reported by What’s The Jam.
One local said: “Just because you’ve seen videos of them being calm and cute doesn’t take away from the fact that they are still wild animals.”
Another asked: ‘But why would I swim with him?’
A user who identified herself as Lilith commented: ‘Aren’t capybaras supposed to be calm and friendly?’
Nichi added: ‘Why did it take so long to help her?! The thing was biting his head and face!
Capybaras, herbivorous rodents, are considered fairly docile creatures that will only bite if provoked or threatened.
While they are semi-aquatic and capable of holding their breath underwater for almost five minutes, they can also run at speeds of up to 35 kilometers per hour.
Their maximum life expectancy is between eight and 10 years and they typically weigh between 77 and 146 pounds.

Capybaras are considered fairly docile creatures that will only bite if provoked or threatened.

Capybaras are semi-aquatic and capable of holding their breath underwater for almost five minutes.

The capybara continues to bite the woman as she is pushed out of the frame.
Native to South America, capybaras are the largest living rodents in the world.
They inhabit dense forests and savannahs and live near bodies of water.
Popular folklore holds that Venezuelan clerics wrote to the Pope’sometimes between the 16th and 18th centuries’ telling how they had discovered an animal that lived in water and had webbed feet.
They asked the Vatican to grant the animal the status of fish, so they could eat it during Lent, when many were preparing to fast from meat.
The Catholic Church agreed and the capybara reserves a special gastronomic status, being served as a delicacy around Easter to this day in some parts of South America.
The world’s largest rodent is said to taste more like salt pork than fish.
The escape of a young capybara from a Shropshire zoo sparked an online frenzy late last year.
Cinnamon the capybara escaped from Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World on September 13 after being scared by a lawn tractor.
It was quickly detected with a thermal drone about 200 meters from the zoo perimeter.
Owner Will, seen calmly enjoying grazing in luscious fields, said she was probably “living her best life”.

A man armed with a stick arrives at the scene to help

Escaped rodent Cinnamon escaped from his enclosure in September last year.
Before his rescue, it was feared that Cinnamon may have strayed into land bordering the Ministry of Defence.
Fortunately, Cinnamon was captured on September 20 and rescuers convinced her to enter a cage.
The zoo that cares for Cinnamon said the story had sparked great interest in its work and inspired stuffed animals, magnets and clothing.
A children’s book was reportedly being written and Will said he even kept “hearing rumors” about a movie in the works.