Green acouchi
| Green acouchi | ||||||||||||
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Green acouchi ( Myoprocta pratti ) in the Stuttgart Zoo |
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| Myoprocta pratti | ||||||||||||
| Pocock , 1913 |
The Green Acouchi or Zwergaguti ( Myoprocta pratti ) is a kind of the genus of acouchi ( Myoprocta ).
description
The green acouchi is up to 38 centimeters long and weighs between 800 and 1300 grams. The females usually stay smaller and lighter than the males. The fur is greenish-brown in color. The underside of the body is clearly lighter in color than the back. The head is yellowish to reddish in color. The back hair can be up to ten centimeters long. It is able to fluff up its fur to deter enemies. The ears are relatively small. The legs are strong and end in hoof-like claws. It can walk well with its claws, but not dig. The mostly solitary animals are active during the day and at dawn. The very shy animals flee at the slightest danger. Due to the lack of the ability to dig, they adopt burrows from armadillos or other animals of similar size. It also happens that they live in hollow tree trunks. Your territory covers around ten square kilometers.
distribution and habitat
The green acouchi is found in Central America and South America . In South America it can be found east of the Andes , in the south of Colombia , in the east of Peru and in the Amazon basin . It lives mainly in tropical rainforests or humid savannas and prefers to be close to water.
food
The green acouchi feeds on pulp, leaves, buds and young shoots. It uses its front feet to obtain food. If there is enough food, it also builds supplies.
pairing
The green acouchi becomes sexually mature at about one year. The mating season extends over the whole year. When a female is ready to mate, she will stretch her tail up and arch her back. The gestation period is 95 to 100 days. The litter includes two to four young animals. A short time after birth, the young animals follow the mother. This usually carries the young animals around on their backs, which then fall into a rigidity. The young are suckled for an average of five months. They leave their mother after eight to ten months. Green acouchis can live up to ten years.
Danger
The Green Acouchi is in the red list of the IUCN out "not at risk".
literature
- Andrea Kamphuis (Red.): Mammals. (700 species in their habitats). Dorling Kindersley, Starnberg 2004, ISBN 3-8310-0580-X .
