# Agoutis (*Dasyprocta*) Agoutis are small, furry animals that look a bit like big guinea pigs. They love to eat fruits, nuts, and seeds and are often found in the forests of Central and South America. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Agoutis](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_Agouti.JPG&width=800) Photo: SuperJew, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Agouti.JPG) ## Appearance The Agoutis has a slender body with a large head, short ears, and long, thin legs. Its coarse fur is typically reddish-brown to orange, often brighter on its rump, and nearly tailless with only a small stub visible. This makes it look like a large, long-legged guinea pig. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Dasyproctidae - **Genus:** Dasyprocta ## Interesting facts - Agoutis can make a sound like a bark when they are alarmed! - Their fur on their back points backward, then forwards near their rump! - They can leap over nine feet high with a single mighty spring! - Wow, agoutis walk on their tiptoes, like a tiny forest ballerina! ## Special abilities - **Nature's Gardener:** Agoutis can bury excess seeds and sometimes forget them, because this helps new plants grow in the forest. - **Super Sonic Ears:** Agoutis have excellent hearing that helps them detect even the quietest sounds of approaching predators. - **Ever-Growing Gnawers:** Agoutis has strong, continuously growing teeth that help them crack open tough nuts and seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-75 cm - **Weight:** 2-6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-4 - **Gestation:** 104-120 days ## Diet & Feeding Agoutis love to munch on fallen fruits, nuts, and seeds from the forest floor. - **Primary Foods:** Fruits, Nuts, Seeds, Fungi, Leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Jaguar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/jaguar) (*Panthera onca*) — A main meal for stealthy big cats. - **Eaten by:** [Ocelot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ocelot) (*Leopardus pardalis*) — Small wild cats hunt them in the undergrowth. - **Eaten by:** [Harpy Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harpy-eagle) (*Harpia harpyja*) — These huge birds of prey snatch them from above. - **Depends on:** Brazil nut tree (*Bertholletia excelsa*) — Spreads its hard-shelled seeds for future trees. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Agoutis are friendly but should be watched from a distance in the wild. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Agoutis? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Agoutis? 40-75 cm ### How much does Agoutis weigh? 2-6 kg ### How long does Agoutis live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Agoutis move? 56 km/h ### What does Agoutis eat? Agoutis love to munch on fallen fruits, nuts, and seeds from the forest floor. ### Where is Agoutis usually found? Forests ### How does Agoutis hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Ilha Anchieta State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ilha-anchieta-state-park) — BR · Park ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Agoutis: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/agoutis)