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Red-rumped agouti facts for kids

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Red-rumped agouti
Red-rumped Agouti (17380318590).jpg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Dasyprocta leporina distribution.svg
Geographic range
Synonyms

Mus aguti Linnaeus, 1766
Mus leporinus Linnaeus, 1758

The red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina), also known as the golden-rumped agouti, orange-rumped agouti or Brazilian agouti, is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae.

Distribution

It is native to northeastern South America, mainly in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northeastern Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. It has also been introduced to Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grenada, and Dominica.

Names

Despite the alternative name Brazilian agouti, it is neither the only nor the most widespread species of agouti in Brazil. In Brazil all agoutis are often called "cutia" [kuˈtʃiɐ].

Habitat

It is found in a wide range of forests, including rainforest and secondary forest.

Description

Captive Red-rumped Agouti, Madison, WI
Captive specimen at Henry Vilas Zoo in the United States

Red-rumped agoutis weigh about 3 to 6 kilograms (6.6 to 13.2 lb). They are about 48 to 64 cm (19 to 25 inches) long. The females are larger than males but otherwise look similar. They are brownish with darker spots on the upper body. The fur becomes more orange as it goes past (going down) the middle area of the animal. The ears are somewhat square in shape. The front feet have four toes and the back have three each. They can be distinguished from other agoutis by their distinct coloring.

They have no distinct breeding season, but females come into season twice a year and generally have one to four young. The gestation period is 104 to 120 days. On average, it takes 20 weeks for the young to be weaned. They live in pairs or family groups of the parents and babies. They need large areas for food, breeding, and territory; because of this, keeping them in captivity is difficult. It lives 15-20 yrs in captivity.

Diet

Food mostly consists of seeds, pulp, leaves, roots and fruits. They also feed on insect larvae when plant resources are low. They are known to feed on and disperse Astrocaryum aculeatissimum seeds, as well as Hymenaea courbaril seeds.

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