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Acouchi

Acouchi (Myoprocta acouchy)

Acouchi

Personal Information
The Zoo’s two acouchi are brothers who came to live here in 1998. Acouchis are a type of rodent, and they are active most of the day. The acouchi looks similar to a squirrel but have the build of a guinea pig. They enjoy nibbling on large pieces of fruit but will bury the undesirable parts somewhere in their exhibit. When an acouchi gets upset, they make a low growl and the hair on their rump flares up. Generally, acouchi do not climb, but the two at our Zoo will climb into the trees and steal food from the Iguana and the Two-toed sloths that they share an exhibit with.

Status in the Wild
The acouchi is a lower risk animal, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Habitat
Acouchis live in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in tropical rainforests, grassy stream banks, and thick brush.

Diet
Acouchis are herbivores. They eat grass, roots, tender stems, leaves and fruit.

  • When food is abundant, acouchis carefully bury some for the future, in case of scarcity. This behavior is important in dispersing the seeds of many species of forest trees.
  • Adult acouchis weigh between 1 and 3 pounds and measure between 1- and 2-feet long including the tail.
  • It is reported that locals in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru hunt acouchis regularly for food.
  • Acouchi courtship involves the male wagging his tail in a particular way and the female wagging her tail in response.
  • An acouchi litter is usually 1 to 4 young, born after 99 days.