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!
Red-rumped agouti
(Dasyprocta leporina)
Order:
Rodentia
Family:
Dasyproctidae
Élőhelye:
Range: Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America
Habitat: Rain forests, mostly in areas with lots of undergrowth, often near water
Weight:
3-6 kilograms
Length:
49-64 centimeters
Lifespan:
Up to 17 years
Description: