![]() Ecology and conservationĪs the only animal capable of opening the thick husk of a brazil nut, the agouti is at the center of conservation for people who rely on these trees in areas of South America. If threatened, agoutis use a variety of distress calls and postures to ward off predators, including foot stomping, puffing up their hair and grunting. They are also known to follow troops of monkeys for days, taking advantage of any food droppings along the way. They are a diurnal animal, most active during the day, and spend the majority of their time foraging for food throughout the forest underbrush. Young are born with their eyes open and are able to flee a predator within only an hour of their birth. Mating takes place, year round and gestation lasts up to 120 days, with one to four offspring born to a litter. The Red-rumped Agouti is found in large family groups, consisting of a monogamous breeding pair and their offspring. On average, Red-rumped Agoutis can live from 15 to 20 years, both in the wild and captivity. Adult Agoutis range in size from 3 to 5.9 kg (6 to 13 lb) and measure 49 to 64 cm (19 to 25 in) in length with the females being slightly larger. They can even be used to break the notoriously tough husk of the Brazil nut. These incisors are made up of multiple layers of twisted enamel and are among the strongest in the animal kingdom. The Red-rumped Agouti possesses very large front incisors, which grow continuously throughout their lifetime. As their name implies, the Red-rumped Agouti is distinguishable from other member of the same family by its reddish coloured rump and orange to brown coloured underside. They have hoof like claws that allow them to run quickly through the forest floor. Unlike most members of the rodent family, agoutis walk on their toes, rather than flatfooted. Resembling a large guinea pig, Agoutis are covered in long, coarse hairs that expel an oily, and stinky substance used to repel water. Young can see when they are born, and can move quickly enough to evade predators just one hour after birth.The Red-rumped Agouti, a member of the rodent family, is native to the rainforests of Central and South America. Gestation lasts up to 120 days, with between one and four offspring in each litter. They pair bond for life, and it is believed that breeding takes place year-round. Male red-rumped agoutis court their mates by spraying them with urine several times. ![]() ![]() They are quick to retreat to a hiding place if threatened. ![]() Red-rumped agoutis typically live in small family groups comprised of a mating pair and their offspring. Red-rumped agoutis at the Smithsonian's National Zoo consume a diet of assorted fruits and vegetables, nuts, leafy greens, rodent pellets and insects. They eat sitting up on their hind legs, holding food in their front limbs. If plant material is scarce, they will also eat insect larvae. In addition to Brazil nuts, agoutis will consume other seeds, fruits, roots and leaves. With this behavior, they are critically important to the dispersal of Brazil nut seeds. When food is abundant, agoutis will bury these nuts to dig up later when food becomes scarce. They communicate through a series of grunts, squeals and screams, as well as through posturing. Red-rumped agoutis prefer a forested environment, but can also inhabit thick brush, savannahs or agricultural areas near water. They have been introduced to Grenada, the U.S. Native to French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as parts of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Their tails are typically no longer than 2.4 inches in length (6 centimeters). They weigh between 6.6 and 13 pounds (3 to 5.9 kilograms), and grow to between 19 and 25 inches (49 to 64 centimeter) long. Red-rumped agoutis have four toes on their front feet, but only three on their hind feet. Their rumps are orange to red, and their undersides are orange-brown with a white stripe running down the center. Red-rumped agoutis have coarse, glossy fur that is typically greenish-brown in color. The red-rumped agouti ( Dasyprocta leporina) make a significant contribution to the forestation of their natural habitat they are the only mammal species within their native range known to be able to open a Brazil nut husk.
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