Agoutis are terrestrial rodents that can be found throughout Central and South America. If you come across these creatures you are most likely to find them traveling in pairs and perusing the forest floor for fruits and seeds. Due to these foraging patterns, these animals are known to have important ecosystem roles as seed dispersers (Zona & Henderson, 1989). The individual pictured above is of the Central American species (Dasyprocta punctata). This photo was taken during a research opportunity at the Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica.

[Photo and caption by Josie Hubbard]

Zona, S., & Henderson, A. (1989). A review of animal-mediated seed dispersal of
palms. Selbyana, 6-21.