Wildlife: Central American Agouti is a small mammal but an important seed disperser

The Central American agouti Dasyprocta punctata is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae. The main portion of its range is from Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula southern Mexico, through Central America, to northwestern Ecuador, Colombia and far western Venezuela. A highly disjunct population is found in southeastern Peru, far southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, western Paraguay and far northwestern Argentina. The disjunct population has been treated as a separate species, the brown agouti Dasyprocta variegata, but a major review of the geographic variation is necessary. The Central American agouti has also been introduced to Cuba, Bahamas, Jamaica, Hispaniola and the Cayman Islands. Though some populations are reduced due to hunting and deforestation, large populations remain and it is not considered threatened. Like other agoutis, Central American agoutis are diurnal and live in monogamous pairs. They mainly feed on fruits and seeds, and are important seed dispersers.

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