Azara’s agouti

Dasyprocta azarae

agouti 4
IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Mammals
Order: Rodentia
Family: Dasyproctidae

Our group of Azara’s agouti can be found at the top of Lake Road, opposite our fishing cat.

Azara’s agoutis are found in South America. They occur in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. They are also common in Eastern Bolivia. These rodents inhabit forest patches within savannahs and lowland Atlantic forests.

Their diet consists of fruits, nuts, seeds, shoots and leaves.

Interesting facts!

  • Agoutis are known as ‘jungle gardeners’ as they bury nuts and seeds and forget where they put them, therefore allowing plants to grow.
  • They are the only mammal capable of opening a Brazil nut!
  • They are very good swimmers and can often be found near water.

Conservation

Azara’s agouti are currently described as “Data Deficient”. They are thought to be at risk in the wild but there is not enough scientific information available at the moment to classify them properly. Their main threats are habitat destruction and hunting which may mean they have gone locally extinct in some areas.