Crested Agouti

About the Crested Agouti

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. 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.

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

The red-rumped agouti weighs about 3 to 6 kilograms (6.6 to 13.2 lb). It is about 48 to 64 cm (19 to 25 in) long. The females are larger than males but otherwise look similar. It is 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. It can be distinguished... Wikipedia →