Capybara Killed by Arrow at São Paulo’s Guarapiranga Reservoir

On Sunday, 26 July 2026, a capybara was discovered with an arrow lodged in its body at the Guarapiranga Reservoir in the M’Boi Mirim area of São Paulo’s south zone. Residents called the Guarda Civil Metropolitana (GCM), whose nautical unit rescued the animal and took it to the Centro de Manejo e Conservação de Animais Silvestres (CeMaCAS). Despite veterinary care, the capybara died from its injuries.

The municipal Secretariat of the Environment launched an investigation, treating the incident as possible illegal hunting. Necropsy results will be used to identify the cause of death, and authorities plan to increase patrols around the reservoir. The Secretariat reiterated that harming or killing wildlife violates Brazil’s environmental crime law (Law 9.605/1998), which imposes penalties of detention and fines.