Buenos Aires - A suburb of the Argentinian capital is currently being overrun by a veritable invasion of capybaras. Now the government is intervening to solve the problem.

While some people love the cute capybaras, they are increasingly becoming a nuisance for the residents of an affluent suburb of Buenos Aires.

Since the coronavirus pandemic , the "capinchos", as they are known in Argentina , have taken over the fenced-in residential area of Nordelta in the north, reports the New York Times.

The native animals have discovered the well-kept neighborhood with its green meadows, fresh water and no natural enemies. The capybaras, which are clearly happy in their new home, have almost tripled in number over the past two years - there are now almost 1,000 of them.

Although capybaras are basically harmless, living with them does pose some challenges. They cause traffic accidents, eat the gardens bare and occasionally attack small dogs .

This is why the residents of the housing estate now want to take action against the wild animals and have them sterilized.

Last year, the Argentinian government launched a pilot project in which three wild animals were sterilized by means of a vasectomy. The aim was to find out how this measure would affect their position within the group.

According to the New York Times, the North Delta administration informed residents in February about the next step: a "contraceptive vaccination program." This will involve sterilizing 250 adult animals.

Head biologist Falguera explained that the vaccine would prevent the capybaras from producing sperm and ovulating. This requires two injections, which must be administered several months apart. In addition, the effect is only temporary, which is why the animals have to be anaesthetized and treated regularly.

However, not everyone is convinced by the sterilization of the capybaras. A small group of neighbors have joined forces to take action against the construction company and are collecting signatures for an online petition to protect the animals. They also share insights into their coexistence with the capybaras on Instagram.

María Soto, one of the residents, and her group are calling for the creation of a separate protected area for the capybaras and blaming the developers for destroying the animals' natural habitat.