15.06.2019

Agouti description of species from the encyclopedia. Detailed description and characteristics of the humpback agouti hare. Range, habitats

Humpback hare, a mammal of the order of rodents

Alternative descriptions

Humpback hare, from which our famous singer inherited the surname

Golden hare - a rodent that lives in the tropics of South and Central America

A genus in the Agutiaceae family of the rodent order

hunchback hare

Hare-"Quasimodo"

Humpback hare, from which our famous singer inherited the name

humpback hare

hare with a hump

crooked hare

Rodent, hare

Bunny with a hump

Rodent from hares

Hare with a humpback

Hare in the jungle

humpback hare

Hare, "relatives" to her husband Varum

Humpbacked hare for spouse Varum

Tropical American Golden Hare

Genus of mammals of the order of rodents

American hare

. "crippled" american hare

Hare hunchback

Hare from the tropics of America

South American golden hare

Hunchback Hare from America

Humpback hare for singer Leonid

Relative of the guinea pig

. "crippled" (humped) American hare

Hare with short ears

Amazon golden hare

Hare with American residence permit

golden hare

humpback hare

. "Crippled" (humped) American hare

. "Crippled" American Hare

Humpback hare for husband Angelica Varum

Hare of American "nationality"

Hare with American "registration"

Hare "Quasimodo"

Hare, "relatives" to her husband Varum

Unslope. South American golden hare. m. adea, hell, tartar, tartarara, abyss, hell, pitch darkness, fiery furnace; vyat. hailo, mouth, pharynx, throat, pharynx. * Unbearable life, quarrel in the house, screaming, abuse, fight, sodom. What the hell is open, what are you yelling at. in hell people live, about habit; and you will live in hell, so nothing. At least rejoice in hell, just bypass us, about an evil person instead: at least in paradise. Everyone is afraid of hell, but the path is torn. they ask for heaven, but climb into hell alive. Hell groans, cries. calls sinners to himself. The voice of God will ring out the soul of a sinner from hell, they say about the contribution to the bell for the repose of a suicide. It is better to live with a smart man in hell than with a fool in heaven. Life is like hell. Hell stands on the merciless. Let your soul go to hell, you will be rich. there will be no hell, there will be no wealth, because the rich often make money by untruth. Do not eat (no, carry) in the hell of repentance. The devils carry poles: they want to fence hell, it's a joke. From the pool to hell is at hand; in a pool of water, a demon, but in a pool they drown. in hell, intercession is good: at times, even with a poker, instead of a pitchfork, they will plant it: everything is easier. The keys of hell, the keys of the abyss, among the eunuchs: known. parts. Evil person hellish greed. Gates of hell. Hellish malice, inherent in hell; hellish life, hard labor, unbearable. Hell stone, lapis, burning silver, sour silver saltpeter. Adozhnoy arch. hellish, diabolical, crafty; unclean, filthy. Adoven m. arch. swearing scoundrel, scoundrel; hellish vol. arch. custom person, beast, plant, etc.; abomination. Hell what, arch. plot deceit; seditious; defile, defile. Hellish fire. stingy, stingy. Adit? what, yarosl. save; overuse

Agutiaceae family

(Dasyproctidae)*

* small family caviomorphic rodents, includes 3-4 genera and about 16 species. Close to pigs and capybaras.


Agoutis, or gutis, strongly resemble the small musk deer in their appearance, they are high-legged, stocky rodents with a long pointed head, small round ears, a bare, curly tail and hind limbs that are much longer than the front ones. These latter, with four fingers, still have a small germ thumb, while on the hind limbs there are only three fingers, completely separated and very long. All fingers are armed with strong, wide, slightly curved hoof-shaped claws, which are strongly developed especially on the hind legs; the rudiment of the thumb has a small flat nail. In general, agoutis are built lightly and beautifully, and therefore make a very pleasant impression.
Their teeth are well developed: flat, smooth incisors are especially striking, their upper pair is painted in a rather bright red color, and the lower pair is yellowish, somewhat rounded molars have a single median strip and several separate islands of enamel.
Currently, agoutis live either in pairs or in small herds** in the wooded plains and mainly in the densest forests along the lower reaches of the rivers, but some of them rise to the mountains up to 2000 meters above sea level. From the description itself common type we can get to know the lives of all of them.

* * Agoutis live only in permanent pairs that last until the death of one of the partners. The area of ​​the family plot is 1-2 hectares, its borders are actively guarded.


Brazilian agouti or golden hare(Dasyprocta agouti), as it is also called for its beautiful fur, is one of the most ornate species of the entire family and has a thick, smooth-lying hairline. Coarse, thick, almost bristly hair has a strong sheen. The fur is reddish-lemon in color, mixed with black-brown, on the hair it has from three to four black-brown transverse stripes and the same number of reddish-lemon, some hair with a light tip, and others with a dark one, which is why the overflow of colors occurs. In some places, yellow color predominates, with black either completely disappearing or forming only a narrow ring.

Thus, the general coloration may change either due to the movements of the animal, or from different lighting, or, finally, from the fact that in other places the hair is longer, and in others it is shorter. The muzzle and limbs are only covered short hair, the back of the body is longer, on the sacrum and on the hips the length of the hair reaches 6 centimeters; bare throat. On the head, nape, lower back and on the outer side of the limbs, a reddish color predominates, because specks are very densely scattered here; on the lower part of the back in the region of the sacrum, the animal appears more yellow, because the speckles are less frequent here. The general color also depends on the time of year: in summer it is lighter, in winter it is darker. The body length of an adult male reaches 40 cm, and the length of the curly tail is only 1.5 cm*.

* The body length of adult agouti reaches 62 cm, weight - up to 4 kg.


Guiana, Suriname, Brazil and northern Peru are home to agouti. In many places it comes across often, but most often in the lowlands along the banks of the rivers of Brazil. Lives in forests, moreover, both in raw primitive and in dry, inland. It also wanders in the adjacent grassy steppes, replacing the hare; it never occurs in open fields with short grass. Usually it is found in hollows of trees not high from the ground and more often alone**.

* * Mostly agoutis live in burrows between rocks and along river banks. Hollows, niches under the roots are used only as temporary shelters for rest.


During the day, he lies quietly in a shelter and shows himself only where he considers himself completely safe ***.

* * * Where the animals are not disturbed, agoutis are diurnal.


At sunset, he goes out to feed, and in good weather prowling all night long. It has a habit, according to Rengger, to often leave its dwelling and return again, this quickly forms a narrow path, sometimes having about 100 meters in length, by which it is easy to find out the whereabouts of the animal. If the lair is not hidden in an impenetrable thicket, then by directing the dog along such a path, it is almost always possible to take the agouti alive. The barking of dogs drives the animal into a hollow, then it remains to pull it out of the shelter or dig it out. But if the agouti notices the approach of the dogs in time, then he instantly moves away and, then the agility and speed of running will soon take him beyond the limits of pursuit.
Agouti is a completely harmless, timid animal and therefore is exposed to many dangers, only extraordinary agility and subtlety of feelings can save him from death. With its jumps, it resembles small antelopes and musk deer. His run consists of jumps following each other so quickly that it seems as if the animal is racing at a full gallop, and his calm gait is a rather slow step ****.

* * * * Agoutis move on their fingertips, run at a gallop and trot, can jump up to 2 m in height. Hiding in the thickets, the animal is always on the alert, raising one of its front paws, or, leaning on its elbows, it is ready to develop maximum speed from a place.


Of the external senses, his sense of smell is most developed, but his hearing is also very sensitive, but his eyesight, on the contrary, is very weak and his taste is far from subtle. Mental capacity very limited; it is noticeable only that it can remember the surrounding area. Agouti food consists of herbs and plants, which they eat whole, from roots to flowers and grains *.

* The basis of agouti nutrition is juicy fruits, seeds and nuts, greens are less often used. Food is usually held in front paws, like a squirrel, not eaten, buries in reserve "for a rainy day".


Their sharp incisors cannot be resisted by any part of the plant: they crack the hardest nuts. In cultivated places, agouti sometimes visits sugar cane plantations and vegetable gardens, and this causes harm, but it causes real damage only where it is found in in large numbers.
There is still no exact information about the reproduction of agoutis living in the wild. It is known that the animal breeds strongly, and a pregnant female occurs at any time of the year and can produce several cubs at once. The same animal usually thrashes twice a year: the first time in October, at the beginning of the rainy season or spring, and the second time a few months later, but before the onset of drought **.

* * After 3.5-4 months of pregnancy, the female brings only 1-3 large, sighted, well-developed cubs.


By this time the male has chosen the female and is chasing her with whistling and grunting until he wins her favor despite her initial sternness***.

* * * Rutting is accompanied by fierce fights of males. sometimes resulting in serious injury to opponents.


Shortly after mating, the male and female separate and live separately****.

* * * * Agoutis live in constant pairs.


The female goes over to her old dwelling and mends it for her offspring, lines it as densely as possible with leaves, roots and hair, on this soft bedding she gives birth to cubs, feeds them for several weeks with great tenderness and finally takes some time with her, teaching how to find food and defending at first. Agoutis often breed in captivity*****.

* * * * * Agoutis are easily tamed, the Indians keep them in abundance in the villages for the sake of tasty meat. Perhaps it was the Indians who acclimatized the semi-tamed agouti on a number of islands in the West Indies. In captivity, agoutis have lived to be 18-20 years old.


Among the many enemies that attack the agouti, the first place is occupied by large cats and Brazilian dogs, but the person himself does not differ in particular favor for the beautiful rodent, and the hunter, after the porcupine, sees in him the most hated animal. “As soon as the hunter starts,” Hansel describes, climbing into the mountains with his dogs in the hope of obtaining a supply of meat for several days, killing a few coats or locking a whole flock of peccaries in a cave, and, perhaps, if he is especially lucky, then knocking down a tapir as well. the dogs have already attacked the trail and, getting excited, bark and rush down the mountainside, until a special calling bark in the distance announces to the hunter that the game has already been driven in. With indignation at the first bark of the dogs, the hunter has already guessed what kind of game he has taken. It would be useless to wait for the dogs , with curses he follows them and, finally, stops in front of the trunk of the giant of the primeval forest, which, with a rotten inside, has fallen to the ground and is waiting for destruction. New world of impenetrable plants, called to life by light and warmth, rises above the defeated giant. Here, dogs work over all the cracks and wells, although their zeal does not always end in success. A rather hard trunk does not give in to their teeth, and inside you can hear the agouti grumbling. In vain does a hunter take up a hunting knife. Finally, in impotent rage, he decides to make the enemy at least harmless forever. With all his might, he drives a wedge into the hole of the trunk and dooms an innocent animal to a painful death of starvation. Not without difficulty, the dogs are finally recalled and the hunter begins to climb the mountains again, but a new hunt flares up, and in despair he must leave the site, because best watch already gone for hunting. Of course, it would be possible to catch the agouti, but in most cases it is completely impossible to master the animal. Agouti knows perfectly well all the empty trunks in his area and, under the noses of the dogs, escapes into the first one that comes across, in order to immediately leave it from the opposite end. Before the dogs find a way out, he is already long in another trunk, and this is repeated until the dogs, discouraged and exhausted, stop hunting. Now the hunter's hatred is understandable. There are areas in these primeval forests where, due to the abundance of agoutis, proper hunting is completely impossible. In addition, the meat of this game is little valued and is eaten only for lack of a better one.
paca(Cuniculus rasa) * differs in a peculiarly thick head, big eyes and small ears, a short tail, high legs with five fingers, bristly, sparse, close-fitting fur, and a particularly remarkably overgrown zygomatic arch, provided with a cavity on the inside. This hollow bone should be considered as a continuation of the cheek pouches. Such bags do exist, but they actually form only a fold of skin. A narrow slit emanates from them, opening down into the cavity of the zygomatic arch.

* Although the animal resembles more a pig, its generic Latin translates as "dog".


This cavity is lined inside with a thin skin and half plugged up, so that only a small opening communicates with the oral cavity. The significance of this cavity is still unknown with certainty, but it cannot be mistaken for modified cheek pouches**.

* * The purpose of the folded buccal plates has not yet been clarified; this formation is unique among rodents.


The development of the zygomatic arch makes the paki skull very high and angular. “In appearance,” says Rengger, “the paca bears some resemblance to a young pig. Its head is broad, its snout is blunt, its upper lip is split, its nostrils are oblong, its body is thick, its legs are also thick, its fingers are equipped with blunt, convex claws. The tail looks like a hair The fur consists of short, tight-fitting hairs, which are yellowish-brown on the upper side and on the outer parts, and on the underside and inner sides legs yellowish white. On both sides of the shoulders are five rows of yellowish-white egg-shaped spots, extending to the rear edge of the thighs. The color of the spots of the lower row is partly mixed with the general coloration of the whole body. Around the mouth and above the eyes are several backward-facing setae. The ear is short and covered with little hair, and the soles and ends of the legs are completely bare. Adult males are up to 70 cm long, up to 35 cm high and weighing up to 10 kg***.

* * * Paka has a massive build, it weighs up to 10 kg, with a body length of 60-80 cm, tail - 20-30 cm.


Paca is distributed in most of South America, through Suriname and through Brazil to Paraguay, but also occurs in the Lesser Antilles ****. The more secluded and deserted the area, the more often paca is found here, and very rarely in the populated parts of the country. Forest edges, riverbanks overgrown with shrubs and swamps serve as habitats for it. Here she digs a hole for herself in the ground from 1 to 2 meters in length and sleeps in it all day. At dusk, it goes out to feed and visits sugar cane and melon plantations, which causes significant damage. It also feeds on leaves, flowers, and fruits. various plants. Paka lives both in pairs and alone, unusually timid and fast, easily swims across wide rivers, but always returns to his usual accommodation. The female in the middle of summer throws 1-2 cubs, hides them, according to the assurances of the savages, in a hole during the feeding period and then takes them with her for several more months.

* * * * The distribution of paki covers the entire tropical part of Central and South America from the south of Mexico to Paraguay, but it is absent on the mainland west of the Andes and the Antilles.


“One of my acquaintances,” says Rengger, “who kept the paca for three years in his house, tells the following about her life at home. My captive, although still very young, turned out to be very wild and indomitable and bit when approached.


All day she hid, and at night she ran, tried to scratch the floor, made various grunting sounds and barely touched the food offered to her. After a few months, she gradually lost her wildness and began to get used to captivity. Subsequently, she became even more tame, allowed herself to be touched and caressed, and approached her master and strangers, but showed no affection to anyone. Since the children did not give her rest during the day, she changed her customs only in the sense that at night she became calmer and began to eat. She was fed everything that was eaten in the house, with the exception of meat. She grasped food with her incisors, and lapped up the liquid. She either walked at a pace, or ran quickly, jumping up and down. Bright daylight seemed to blind her, but her eyes did not glow in the dark. Although she, apparently, completely got used to the person and to her dwelling, a strong desire for freedom still remained in her. She escaped after three years of captivity at the first opportunity that presented itself. "Paki's skin is too thin and her hair is too coarse to use her fur. In February - March, she is very fat, then her meat is extremely tasty and is very loved Kapler says about this: "Its meat is white, fatty and tastes superior to all varieties of meat known to me. "In the Brazilian forests, next to agouti and various breeds marsupials is the most common game. Prince von Wied often caught her in the dense forests with traps, but she is also hunted with dogs, and she is known in the market under the name of "royal game". “When the paka is in a hole,” says Hansel, “it is impossible to approach it; but if you carefully follow the edge of the plantation, then signs of the animal’s stay will soon open in the dense thickets of reeds. This is where the hunter puts his nets with a maize cob for bait and the following the morning rewards his labor generously. Paca represents the most excellent game of Brazil: there is hardly any other meat more tender and tastier than it. It has such a thin and weak skin that it is not removed. And the animal is scalded whole with boiling water, like a pig. The carcass thus prepared, at which the head and legs are cut off, is so similar to the carcass of a pig that they can be confused.According to Kapler, in the event that the pursued animal is unable to reach its hole, it even throws itself into the water, dives and remains there until the pursuer will not leave, he believes that the paca is floating under water at the same time.
IN Lately this animal was often brought alive to Europe. Already Buffon for a long time kept a female pacu, which was completely tame, she made a lair for herself under the stove, slept during the day, ran around at night, and if she was locked in a box, she began to gnaw on the walls, she licked her hand to familiar people and allowed herself to be scratched, while she stretched out and expressed her pleasure with quiet sounds. strangers She bit children and dogs. In anger, she grunted and gnashed her teeth in a very special way. The paca was so insensitive to the cold that, according to Buffon, it could be acclimatized in Europe. I have watched the pacu for over a year and find it a lazy and unattractive animal. During the day, she rarely shows herself out of her hole and only leaves it at sunset. She is peaceful or, more correctly, completely indifferent towards other animals, she does not give offense to herself, but she is not the first to attack her comrades. Since she is very undemanding, she does not need either especially good food, or a particularly well-arranged barn. Concerning its hardiness in extreme cold*, I must agree with Buffon, but I do not think that breeding it in Europe can be of any use.

In the prairies of South America, which is covered with evergreen vegetation, there is a small but rather strange animal called "humped or golden hare". The natives call it "kutia". Travelers who first saw the animal are compared with guinea pigs, noting that its paws are much longer than those of small pigs. They were right: it has been proven that the closest ancestors unusual creature are guinea pigs. Some viewers even look for similarities with extinct horses of undersized breeds or antelopes. Someone confuses agouti and rabbits, because they have equally arched backs and thin, or rather fragile, legs. In fact, this is a rather large rodent (its weight can reach 4-5 kilograms, the length ranges from half a meter) of the mammal class, considered an exotic specimen. In nature, there is an amazing subspecies diversity of agouti - zoologists have more than ten breeds.

Acquaintance with an unusual rodent continues

The gray animal is unique and inimitable. It seems that nature has delved into all the subtleties of the life of a rodent, and has done everything so that it can develop great speed:

  1. On the head of the agouti, small round ears flaunt, which were given to him by ancient relatives - short-eared hares.
  2. The structure of the head is not typical for rodents: it is more elongated and resembles the muzzle of a horse: the forehead is slightly shifted back, the bridge of the nose resembles an obtuse triangle, the bones of the skull are smooth. From these features follows a new comparison: the creature's muzzle and skull of the species is the same as that of rats.
  3. The back is round, as if humpbacked, which is noticeable when viewed from behind.
  4. Another very interesting fact: on the front paws the rodent has five fingers, just like a person; on the back - three, like all hares.
  5. And one more sign that catches the eye. Agouti is a tailless animal.
  6. The animal has a rather long smooth, but very hard coat, the color of which can be dark, light with a golden hue and even orange.

Agouti hare cannot be seen at night: a real “dormouse”, but he is very careful in choosing an overnight stay: on the shore of a lake, a pond, an old tree is found, in the roots of which you can build a hole, or you can see a rotten stump on the road. Here the hare becomes a real "builder": it gnaws out a rotten core from a stump, expands the space and digs a deep hole. Such a dwelling saves the rodent from large predators. In the hole, the rodent arranges pantries, which replenishes constantly, bringing seeds or nuts for cheeks.

During the day, the animal explores many kilometers of space, looking for food. The diet consists of fallen fruits, flower seeds. Agouti, which has very strong teeth, loves to feast on Brazil nuts, which, according to many, only capuchin monkeys can crack, as well as bananas and sugar cane. There are species that live in the mangrove thicket. For large fruits, the rodent climbs on the bent branches. It is interesting to watch the agouti at the moment when he “snacks”: frozen on his hind legs, the short-eared one sends food into his mouth, grabbing it with his front ones, not at that moment he notices anything in the area. This fact was noticed by local farmers: the rodent becomes easy prey for them. However, this species is hunted not only because of the desire to try lean dietary meat, but rather to save their crops. Agouti herds can be very numerous: they can destroy entire plantations.

Agouti fearfulness can be compared with the same quality of deer, the ancient ungulates of the Old World, which also instantly hid in the thicket at the slightest danger.

Sensing danger (has an excellent sense of smell and hearing, but very poor eyesight) a humpback hare, developing high speed, is saved by large jumps, sometimes turning into a lynx, so dogs and cats practically cannot catch up with it. Having reached the river, the frightened animal jumps into the water and hides: he is an excellent swimmer, and not only a swimmer. The animal may well become a champion jumper, flying up to six meters.

"Family life" kutia

The named family of rodents prefers to live in small groups in which " couples"- centenarians. IN mating season males demonstrate their strength in front of females, arranging fights, but, having won their girlfriend, remain faithful to her for life. Twice a year (during the rainy season) the family acquires offspring, from two to four babies, which the female seeks to raise before the onset of drought. The male at this time is on the sidelines, waiting for the time when it will be necessary to again seek the favor of the female. The hares that were born are completely independent, therefore they quickly leave parental care and begin to lead an independent adult life.

agouti and man

Even the Indians tried to have several copies in subsidiary farm, caught the animal, luring it with treats. This practice is still observed today. It is quite difficult to accustom adults, kids quickly get used to a person and feel great in zoo enclosures. The animal is also bred in special nurseries, but not for the sake of spectacle, but for the sake of a beautiful shiny skin. No wonder the hunters of America called the animal "golden hare". Currently, the public is raising the issue of a ban on hunting. The desire to have an exclusive fur coat leads to the mass extermination of the agouti. Breeding this species on farms can save the situation. It is very difficult to grow a copy to standard sizes, but it may take patience and diligence, as well as certain knowledge. Feeding the animal at home will not be:

  • all kinds of fruits, berries;
  • the pet and root crops will not refuse;
  • in winter, it’s good to give a pet as a treat walnuts, which he amusingly gnaws with strong teeth.

The only thing that can stop is the price of a copy. However, the monetary costs are not comparable to the joy that can be obtained from communicating with a pet. Many breeders will state that little creature quickly gets used to the owner, gradually wins the heart, especially since agouti can live for two decades. Before, it turns out that this species is very prolific: the female bears cubs for only forty days.

What kind of animal is the agouti?

There are different opinions about the mysterious animal:

  1. A young man who left his review on a forum on the Internet believes that it would be better to call this rodent a pig, because it surprisingly resembles it and leads the same lifestyle as guinea pigs.
  2. A guest who took part in the discussion recalls that he saw agouti in his childhood, when he visited a zoo with his parents, located in the southern city of Odessa. How he got there remains a mystery. The kid conquered him with his beauty. Later, he learned that there are about twenty varieties of this type of mammal in the world.
  3. The person who first examined the chosen one on the pages world wide web, says that "golden hare" is the perfect phrase for a cute creature.
  4. An interesting characteristic of a comedian who said that agouti is a small-sized pig living in Africa.
  5. The fact that this instance is little known is said by many users who hear about such an animal for the first time. The Internet helps to get to know him, giving a description, description and photographs of an unknown beast.

Agouti - interesting unusual animal, which is found not only in wild nature, and is divorced by man.

Agouti (Dasyprocta aguti)

Class: Mammals
Detachment: Rodents
Family: Agutiaceae
There are about 20 related forms in the genus agouti.
Family Dasyproctidae (Agutiaceae) unite four genera, two of which - paca and agouti - are widespread and well known. Agouti, or the golden hare (Dasyprocta aguti), is a representative of the Dasyproctidae (Aguti) family, which is closely related to Caviidae.

Distributed in Central and South America. In South America, it is found on large territories from Mexico to Peru, including Brazil and Venezuela, to the evergreen border in Argentina.

Agouti is a rodent, its closest relative is guinea pig. It is one of the most elegant species of the entire family and has a thick, smoothly fitting hairline. Coarse, thick, almost bristly hair has a strong sheen. The fur is reddish-lemon in color, mixed with black-brown.

Outwardly, they simultaneously resemble large short-eared rabbits, the fossil forest ancestors of the horse, and a miniature antelope: a round back, very thin, fragile-looking legs. Body length is from 40 to 62 cm. They are diurnal.

The long hind legs have only 3 toes. The tail is almost invisible. Coloring is one-color: golden-brown or reddish. The skin is light, with a golden sheen. These are predominantly forest animals. Agouti lives in forests growing in river valleys, as well as in dry areas inland. Mostly near water. One species lives even in mangroves. Able to climb a leaning tree for fruits.

Agouti swims well, but does not dive, jumps excellently (jumps 6 m from a place). Let's get excited easily. It hides in hollows of trunks and stumps, in pits under roots or in burrows of other animals. They feed on leaves, fallen fruits, nuts, and roots. Having found the fruit, the animal brings it to the mouth with its front paws, sometimes they eat insects. They store seeds in their burrows, transporting them in small cheek pouches. Lives in pairs or small flocks.

The female gives birth to cubs twice a year: the first time in October. at the beginning of the rainy season or spring, and the second time a few months later, but before the onset of drought. By this time, the male has chosen the female and chases her with whistles and grunts until he wins her favor despite her initial sternness. Shortly after mating, the male and female separate and live separately.

Agouti completely harmless, fearful animal and therefore exposed to many dangers. Of the external senses, his sense of smell is most developed, but his hearing is also very sensitive, but his eyesight, on the contrary, is very weak and his taste is far from subtle. Agouti food consists of plants, which they eat whole, from roots to flowers and grains. In cultivated areas, agouti sometimes visits sugarcane plantations and vegetable gardens, and this causes harm. but it does its real damage only where it is found in great numbers.

Like paca, agouti is a desirable prey for hunters. Agouti runs fast, for this and for the metallic shade of wool, the Indians call agouti "golden hares". In some parts of the Amazon, the agouti is also called cutia. In places, agouti are even more numerous than paca, from which the agouti differs in its smaller and more slender body. Despite its extreme fearfulness, the animal lives well in zoos.

In the article I will tell you who the agouti is and what kind of animal it is. A representative of this species of rodents is also called a humpback hare. I will describe external characteristics animal. I will consider the features of lifestyle and nutrition. I will do short review species and their habitat.

The appearance of the animal is individual, so it is almost impossible to confuse it with other representatives of the fauna. But some features still have similarities with guinea pigs.

A humpback hare weighs no more than 5 kg. The length of the body is half a meter. The tail of the animal is very small (3 cm). Therefore, at first glance it may seem that it is completely absent.

The head of the animal is of massive size and elongated shape. In areas where there is no hair (around the eyes and at the base of the ears), you can see the skin of a pink hue. In adults, a crest is present at the top of the skull. On the head are small ears.

The front paws have 4 toes each, and the hind paws have 3. The soles of the limbs are without wool.

The back of the animal is slightly rounded. From this they called him the hunchbacked hare. The fur is dense, soft and shining in the sun. The back is black or golden, and the belly is mostly white.


Animal species and location

Let's put it in the form of a table:

Name Habitat Characteristic
Agouti Azara. The animal is on the verge of extinction. South America Choose places to live not far from water bodies or swamps. The length of the body is half a meter, and the tail is not more than 16 cm. The weight of the animal is up to 4 kg. The color is black or brown with a hint of green. Ears protrude slightly. The shape of the head is similar to that of a guinea pig.
Koibansky. The habitat area is gradually decreasing, which leads to a decrease in the number. Found only on Coiba Island. The length of a mature individual is not more than 52 cm. The tail is small. The color is usually yellowish brown. Dark spots may be present. Pale belly.
Central American. Mostly Central America. Found in the Amazon Valley. Weight adult 3-5kg. The color depends on the habitat.
Crested. Endangered. Lives in the state of Suriname. loves wet tropical climate forests The characteristic features of appearance are similar to the Central American representative.
Black. Valley of the Amazon River. The main features are similar to the Central American representative. The only difference is the color of the fur - black.
Orinoksky. They live mainly near the Orinoco River. Outwardly similar to the Central American representative.
Agouti Kalinovsky. They live in South America. The population covers the area along the Amazon River. Body size up to 63 cm. Weight no more than 6 kg. The tail is small. There is no fur on it. Ears are rounded. The color is olive-gray on the paws is darker. The back of the body is reddish-yellow.
Mexican. There is a rapid decline in numbers. Mexico The body length is from 45 to 58 cm. The tail is about 3 cm. The color is dark. Belly white color.
Black-backed. Endemic to the northeastern region of Brazil. Looks like a black agouti.
Roatan. Endemic to Honduras. Length - 43.5 cm. The color of the fur is bright orange or dark orange. A spot of white color is located on the lower part of the muzzle. There is a yellow patch on the belly.

Hares choose their place of residence woodlands. Mainly in floodplains. But even on dry territory they can be found if there is a reservoir nearby.


animal lifestyle

Humpback hares prefer to live in small groups. But there are also couples. IN daytime animals are active. They build dwellings in the hollows of trees and get food. Agoutis can swim. At night, the animals hide from predators.

agouti diet

The animal eats quite funny. They anoint themselves on their hind limbs, and bring food to their mouths with their front ones.

Hares eat:

  • nuts;
  • seeds;
  • flowers;
  • fruits and bark of tropical trees;
  • leaves;
  • roots.

They often act as pests for farmers. They eat banana plantations and sugar cane.

Character

Agoutis are very cowardly animals.

They are quickly excited for any reason and are in a state of stress. But if a person wants to tame the animal, he will succeed. The hare ceases to be afraid and makes contact.


reproduction

One female is born from 2 to 4 hares. This happens twice a year. Pregnancy lasts approximately 3 months. Usually a litter consists of 2 cubs that are already developed and have good vision. Agoutis live an average of 13 to 20 years.

Enemies

The advantage of agouti is that the animal runs fast. Therefore, the animal is not an easy prey for hunters and predators. But his eyesight is poor. The threat to the existence of hares is represented by Brazilian dogs, wild cats and people.

Economic importance

The meat of humpbacked hares is eaten by people in some countries. They are mainly eaten in Brazil, Guiana and Trinidad. The meat is very tender and tasty.

When Darwin tasted agouti meat, he was delighted. The scientist said that he had never eaten anything tastier in his life.

The humpback hare is a cute animal with different shades of coat color. But many species of agouti are endangered. This is mainly due to human activities, which are constantly reducing the habitat of the animal. Therefore, some of them are listed in the Red Book.

1 0 0
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.