Red-rumped Agouti
Scientific name: Dasyprocta leporina
Habitat: forest
Diet: fruits and nuts
Life span: up to 18 years in captivity
Young: 1-2 young, occasionally 3 or 4
Size: 3.0-5.9 kg (6.6-13 lbs)
The red-rumped agouti is a rodent with teeth strong enough to crack open a Brazil nut. When food is plentiful they bury it in caches to eat when food is scarce, making them important for seed dispersal in the forest.
Agoutis mate for life. Their young are born fully developed and are able to run within hours after birth.
Agoutis can jump as high as 1.8 m (6 ft) from a sitting position, enabling them to evade predators such as coatimundis and ocelots.
Learn more about this species:
These are some other websites that we think have more great information about this species.
Red-rumped agouti on Animal Diversity Web
For More Information
Edmonton Valley Zoo
13315 Buena Vista Road (87th Avenue)
PO Box 2359
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2R7
| attractions@edmonton.ca |
Range
Range: northern South America
Status in the Wild
Status: thriving
