Agouti animal. Agouti or humpback hare: appearance, nutrition, habitat of the animal. Common types of agouti
You are probably familiar with guinea pigs. These are completely harmless and peaceful animals, originally from South America, which are the decoration of the home living corner. But today we will not talk about these funny rodents, but about their closest relative, the "South American golden hare", whose name is Agouti.
The word Agouti in the dialect of the local Indians means golden. This is exactly what his fur is. Well, hunchbacked, it is called because of the arched shape of the back.
We have already said that Agouti is the closest relative guinea pigs, which he looks like purely outwardly. However, this animal is much larger size, has more elongated limbs, and incredibly beautiful fur, with a golden hue. Its front paws have five toes, while its hind paws have only three. An adult animal can grow up to 60 centimeters in length and weigh about four kilograms. In this regard, the guinea pig is significantly inferior to him. Depending on the habitat, both golden and orange color shades can predominate in the coat color of the animal.
The South American golden hare is a diurnal animal. He lives in small groups, or individual pairs. The animal is monogamous. A couple is formed once and for the rest of their lives.
The habitat halo of the humpback hare is quite wide. It can be found in the territories of Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Guiana, Argentina. Preference is given to the jungle, with wetlands. At the same time, rodents settle in the immediate vicinity of water bodies and cuts. They are extremely rare in open areas.
Agoutis mark their territory and carefully guard it. Hunt during the day. At night they climb into empty tree cavities and rest. The animal is very cautious. At the slightest danger hides and freezes. If this does not work, he tries to run away and hide in the nearest secluded place. Swims well.
The diet of the humpback hare is quite varied, and includes: fruits, roots, plant seeds, nuts. By the way, the animal deals with nuts with incredible dexterity. It sits on its hind legs, takes a nut with its front legs and deftly splits it, taking out the insides. They store some of the nuts for the winter. When food is scarce, Agoutis can raid banana plantations, which is a great annoyance to local farmers. They also like sugar cane plantations.
Rodents reach sexual maturity at one year of age. They can mate and breed throughout the year. The female bears babies for 100 days, after which, from one to four cubs are born.
At local residents Agouti meat is considered a delicacy. For this reason, they are actively hunted. AT recent times The population of the humpback hare is steadily declining. The reason lies in the unreasonable activity of a person who actively interferes in natural environment his habitat. To save this species from extinction, the animal was included in the Red Book.
Agouti's lifespan wild nature is 20 years old.
Niramin - Dec 13th, 2015
Agouti or humpback hare (Dasyprocta) is a mammal from the order of rodents, the Agoutiaceae family. Despite the unusual nickname, the agouti's closest relative is the guinea pig, not the hare.
Appearance of agouti
The body length is up to 60 cm, and the weight is up to 4 kg. The fur is of a single color: either golden brown or orange-reddish. The coat is shiny, thick and hard. They have a rounded ("humped") back, small ears, an inconspicuous tiny tail. The hind paws have only 3 toes, but the front paws have 5 toes each.
Habitat and food of the humpback hare
Agoutis live in the savannah and tropical forests South and Central America. They like to be near water bodies. They are great swimmers, but they don't dive.
They lead an active lifestyle during the day. At night, they prefer to sleep in a hollow or in minks under the roots of trees.
They feed on leaves, flowers, bark and roots of trees, various berries, fruits, nuts. It is interesting to know that of the rodents, only the agouti can open tough brazil nuts with their sharp teeth.
Agouti lifespan and reproduction
Humpbacked hares live in pairs or small flocks. The female bears and gives birth to offspring 2 times a year, in rainy weather - in autumn or spring. Pregnancy lasts up to 2 months. There are usually two cubs. Newborns are sighted and fully developed.
Agouti has a lifespan of up to 20 years.
The threat to their lives is the hunt for them because of valuable fur and dietary meat.
Compilation beautiful photos Agouti:
Photo: Agouti 
Video: The Relationship between the Agouti Rodent and the Brazil Nut.wmv
Video: Agouti, Dasyprocta Agouti, rodents, mammals,
Video: Baby Agouti tries to eat the camera
Video: Seltene Tierdocumentation! Aguti mit 2 Babys
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 occurs over large areas from Mexico to Peru, including Brazil and Venezuela, to the evergreen border in Argentina.
Agouti is a rodent, its closest relative is the 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, 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 real damage only where it is found in in large 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.
Agoutis are mammals from the order of rodents that live in tropical forests and savannahs in Central and South America. Outwardly, these animals resemble guinea pigs, only their limbs are more elongated. The word "agouti" comes from the Indian language Tupi-Guarani, this type of rodent is also called "South American golden hare”, kutia or humpbacked hare. The weight of a rodent on average reaches 4 kg, body length up to 60 cm.
Agouti reach 50-60 cm in length, their average weight is 3.5-4 kg. The back is rounded, slightly “humpbacked”, the head is elongated, the ears are small, rounded. The coat is thick and shiny, but at the same time hard, colored in golden color, sometimes with an admixture of orange. Most species have a dark back and a white or light yellow belly. The agouti has five toes on its front paws and three on its hind paws. The tail is very small and hardly noticeable.
The basis of the agouti diet is fruits and other parts of plants, such as flowers, leaves and bark of trees, roots, fruits and seeds, different kinds nuts. Thanks to the developed physical strength and sharp teeth Agoutis can even crack Brazil nuts. Also, these rodents willingly treat themselves to banana plantations and sugarcane plantations. The animals take food, holding it in their front paws, while sitting on their hind legs.
Agoutis live in South America, from Mexico to Brazil. The largest populations have been recorded in Guyana, Brazil and Peru.
Common types of agouti
The body length reaches 50 cm, the tail is about 15 cm. The weight is in the range of 3-4 kg. The animal is colored greenish-brown or greenish-black with light brown or chestnut spots. Upper body yellowish or yellowish Brown. This species has protruding ears, a rounded body shape, and a head reminiscent of guinea pigs. Five fingers are located on the front paws, three - on the back.
The species lives in the east of South America, in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Agouti Azaras prefer to live in moist jungles, wetlands, or other areas near bodies of water. Occasionally found in open pampas.
The species is endangered, as it is hunted for meat, and the wet jungle, the natural habitat of rodents, is uprooted.
The body length is 43.5-52 cm, the tail length is 3-4 cm. Outwardly, it is similar to the Central American agouti, differing from the latter in the shape of the skull. The upper body is colored yellow-brown with dark spots, the tummy is pale.
The species is endemic to Coiba Island in Panama and is endangered as its natural habitats are constantly shrinking.
Endemic to the South American state of Suriname, where it lives in moist lowland forests, it is endangered. Outwardly, it looks like a Central American agouti.
The distribution range of the species covers Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil. The black agouti is distinguished by its dark body color, otherwise similar to the Central American agouti.
Inhabitant of Delta Amacuro, Venezuela. Most of population lives in the Orinoco Delta, thanks to which the name of the species appeared.
Distributed in the southeast of Peru, where it occurs at an altitude of about 3000 m above sea level. The species is under threat of extinction.
The body length of the animal is from 48 to 63 cm, the weight is in the range of 3-6 kg. The coat is coarse, long on the back. The upper body is painted olive-gray, the cheeks are occasionally hairy. The back of the back is reddish-yellow. The ears are rounded, inside and on top covered with short, dark hairs. The legs are darker than the rest of the body. There are four short toes on the front paws. Three fingers are located on the hind legs, of which the middle one is the longest. The soles are bare, long. The tail is short, without hair.
Brazilian agouti is common in South America, in Brazil, Guyana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, where it lives in forests.
The body length is 45-58 cm, the tail length is about 2-3 cm. The body weight is in the range of 3-4 kg. The back is rounded, long, the legs are thin. The color is dark, with a whitish tint, the belly is light. There is bare skin around the eyes and ears color pink. There are 4 fingers on the front paws, 3 on the hind paws, claws look like hooves.
The species is endangered, distributed in Mexico, from the state of Veracruz to the state of Oaxaca, as well as in Cuba. It lives in evergreen forests at altitudes up to 500 m above sea level.
This species is endemic northeast region Brazil. It looks like a black agouti.
The average body weight of a rodent is 3-4.2 kg. It is painted in reddish, orange or yellowish color with black patches. For subspecies living in different territories, some color features are characteristic. So, in the north of Colombia, the west of Venezuela, in Costa Rica and Panama, the top of the rodent is brownish with black, or with a reddish-brown or greenish tint, the back of the body is orange or cream. In western Colombia and Ecuador, a reddish-brown color appears on the front of the body, and yellowish on the back. Agoutis, which live in Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina, are brown with gray, yellowish or black, or black and orange.
The distribution range of the species covers the area from Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula to Central America and the north-west of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela. Separate populations live in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. The species has been introduced to Cuba and the Cayman Islands.
The body length of adults is 43.5 cm. The fur is colored brown-orange with black patches. The tummy is the same color as the back, but with a greenish tint. Located on the chin White spot, on the back of the stomach is yellow spot. The limbs are dark or bluish-brown below and match the color of the body above.
The species is endemic to Honduras, namely the forests of the island of Roatan. It is hunted for meat.
There are no differences in appearance between male and female agouti.
Agouti is characterized night image life. AT natural conditions these rodents are very timid, they avoid people, only when bred in captivity they become gullible. At night, agoutis find shelter in hollow trees and in burrows between their roots. Agoutis move quickly and gracefully, usually moving in a series of leaps similar to a gallop. This type of rodent is not afraid of water and can swim well, but does not submerge under water.
Agoutis are monogamous rodents, form one pair for life, sometimes live in small family groups. During mating games agouti males often fight for females and enter into real fights with each other.
The female gives birth to babies twice a year. Pregnancy lasts 40 days, in one litter there are 2-4 sighted, mature cubs that quickly leave their parents.
Agouti can live up to 20 years in captivity. vivo- smaller.
natural enemies
Agouti's natural enemies are Brazilian dogs and cats. To escape from predators, agoutis use keen hearing and scent. The vision of this species of rodents is poorly developed. In addition, people hunt agouti, as their meat is tasty and edible.
Agouti meat is eaten in countries such as Brazil, Guiana and Trinidad. It's soft, oily white color. Charles Darwin wrote that agouti meat was the most delicious meat he had tasted in his entire life.
In order to lure the timid and cautious agouti out, the hunters throw a stone, simulating fruit falling to the ground. Due to hunting in many regions of distribution, the agouti is endangered.
Agoutis often cause damage to banana and sugar cane plantations, which is why they have earned the dislike of South American farmers.
Agutiaceae family
(Dasyproctidae)*
* A small family of 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-like 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 produce 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 dense, smooth coat. 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 dominated yellow, and black either completely disappears or forms 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 covered only with short hair, the back of the body is longer, on the sacrum and on the thighs 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. The mental faculties are very limited; noticeable only that can remember 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, the agouti sometimes visits sugarcane plantations and vegetable gardens, and this causes harm, but it causes real damage only where it is found 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 man 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 begins,” 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 up a whole flock of peccaries in a cave, and, perhaps, if he is especially lucky, then knocking down the 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 is the hunter taken for 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, finally, the dogs and the hunter are recalled, and the hunter again begins to climb the mountains, but flares up. new hunt, and in desperation he must leave the site, because the best hours for hunting have already passed. 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 district 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, curly tail, high feet 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 has some resemblance to a young pig. Its head is wide, its snout is blunt, upper lip it is split, the nostrils are oblong, the body is thick, the legs are also thick, the fingers are equipped with blunt convex claws. The tail looks like a hair brush. The fur consists of short, tight-fitting hairs that are on the upper side and on outer parts have a yellowish-brown color, and on the lower 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 her usual home. 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 she became calmer at night 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. The bright daylight seemed to blind her, but her eyes did not glow in the darkness. 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 on this occasion: "Its meat is white, fatty and tastes superior to all varieties of meat known to me. "In the Brazilian forests, next to the agouti and various breeds of marsupials, this is the most common game. Prince von Wied often caught her in dense forests with traps, but it is also hunted with dogs, and in the market it is known 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 in the dense thickets of reeds signs of the presence of the animal will soon open. This is where the hunter sets up his nets with a corncob for bait and the next morning generously rewards his work. Paca represents the finest game in Brazil, tenderer and tastier than any other meat. She has such thin and weak skin that it is not removed. And the whole animal is scalded with boiling water, like a pig. A carcass prepared in this way, with its head and legs cut off, resembles the carcass of a pig so much that they can be confused. According to Kapler, in the event that the pursued animal does not have the opportunity to reach its hole, it even throws itself into the water, dives and remains there until the pursuer leaves, he believes that the pack is swimming under water.
Recently, this animal was often brought alive to Europe. Already Buffon 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. Regarding 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.