what is agoutis

Agoutis are rodents that belong to the genus Dasyprocta and are found in Central and South America. They are small mammals that can grow up to 2.5 feet long and weigh up to 6 kg. Agoutis have five toes on their front feet and three toes on their hind feet, and their molar teeth have cylindrical crowns with several islands and a single lateral fold of enamel. They are generally brown on their backs and whitish or buff on their bellies, and their fur may have a glossy appearance and then glimmers in an orange color. Agoutis are found in forested and wooded areas in Central and South America, including rainforests, savannas, and cultivated fields, depending on the species. They conceal themselves at night in hollow tree trunks or in burrows among roots. Agoutis are equipped with sharp incisors to crack the hard shell of nuts, and while fruit is their preferred food, they will eat alternate food sources such as fungi, insects, and plants when fruits and nuts are not available. Agoutis engage in scatter-hoard behavior, in which they cache seeds beneath the soil, dig them up, and rebury them again and again. Agoutis are quite territorial and mark their area with urine or other sources of pheromones. They are fast and agile, capable of jumping several feet high and spinning while in mid-air to evade their many predators.