Agouti

Dasyprocta leporina

size

Weight: 2-9 lbs.
Length. 16-25in

characteristics

Color: coarse, glossy hair mixed orange, brown and almost black
Body: stubby black naked tail
Face: black whiskers
Feet: five front toes and three hind toes with hoof-like claws

Behavior: diurnal • bury excess fruit and nuts for later use • sit erect to eat holding food in front paws • peel soft fruit with teeth • move swiftly walking, trotting or galloping on toes • jump up more than 6 ft. from standing position • good swimmers • give alarm calls of low grunts, loud horse squeals or barks, or stamp hind feet on ground

reproduction/life span

Life span. live up to 18 yr. in captivity
Mate. monogamous
Breeding season: all year
Gestation. 3 mos
Offspring: can have 1-4 young • twins normal • young born with hair and able to see, eat plants and run within hour of birth

diet

Wild: herbivorous mostly fruit and nuts

habitat/range

Habitat: sheltered spots under tree roots, between rocks in hallow logs in the forest • in areas of good undergrowth cover, around tree large falls • near water such as swamps, and streams
Range: Brazil and Guianas

other

prey of large cats, coatis, and harpy eagle • humans use as food • burying fruit and nuts makes them important seed dispenser for forest growth especially for the commercially valuable Brazil nut the only animal that has teeth strong enough to open tough husk of Brazil nut pod and free the seed so it can sprout