Red-Rumped Agouti
Dasyprocta leporina
A long-legged South American rodent that buries nuts and is the only animal in its area that can crack Brazil nut pods.
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About the Red-Rumped Agouti
Red-rumped agoutis are 19 to 25 inches long and weigh 6 to 13 pounds. They have glossy greenish-brown fur, an orange-red rump and very short tails, and their long back legs give them jumping power. They live on the floor of humid rainforests between Venezuela and Brazil and eat seeds, fruit, leaves, roots, insects and grubs.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Dasyprocta leporina[1]
- Size
- 19 to 25 inches long.[1]
- Weight
- 6 to 13 pounds.[1]
- Lifespan
- 8 to 12 years in the wild.[1]
- Diet
- Omnivore. Seeds, fruit, leaves, roots, insects and grubs.[1]
- Habitat
- Humid rainforest floor.[1]
- Where it lives
- Central-eastern South America, between Venezuela and Brazil.[1]
- Group life
- Alone or in pairs. Most active at dawn and dusk.[1]
- Babies
- One or two young, up to twice a year.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- cache
- To hide food to eat later.
- rodent
- A mammal with front teeth that keep growing, such as squirrels and mice.
- seed dispersal
- How seeds get carried to new places, like when an animal eats fruit and drops the seeds.
- monogamous
- Having one mate at a time, sometimes for life.
- crepuscular
- Most active at dawn and dusk.
See it in person
- Oakland ZooOakland, California · Tropical RainforestSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Oakland Zoo. “Red-rumped Agouti.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/red-rumped-agouti/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Dasyprocta leporina (Red-rumped Agouti).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/89497102/22197762 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
