San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Agouti
San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Agouti
Mammals: Agouti
Range: parts of Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America
Habitat: rain forests, mostly in areas with lots of undergrowth, often near water
agouti
Really cute rodent
The agouti (ah GOO tee) is a rodent from Central and South America rain forests that looks a bit like a really large guinea pig. Its coarse hair is covered with an oily substance that acts like a raincoat. The hair is longest on its rump. The agouti has five toes on its front feet and three on the hind feet. It walks on its toes, not flat-footed like many rodents, giving the agouti a dainty look. Although it is hard to see it, the agouti does have a tail: it is very small, looking like a dark jelly bean stuck on the animal's rump!
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