My first encounter with the Central American Agouti came early in the morning on the small Panamanian island of Isla Muertos. Awoken by the sunrise, from the bed I could see two small mammals scuffing up the grass in the early morning gloom. They spotted my first move for the camera, and in a blink of an eye they were gone. This same dance played out over the next couple of mornings. I left the island without an Agouti photograph.
Fast forward 10 days to Panama City. I had organised a bird spotting walk along the iconic Pipeline Road. This is one of the world’s premier birding hotspots, but there is a host of other wildlife in the area. My ears picked up scampering under the dense dark rainforest canopy. A couple of Agoutis scampered out of sight. Another failed attempt! At lunch time my bird guide and I set off for the return journey to my hotel. We passed through an immaculate community, with manicured lawns and fluorescing flowers. Here, finally, I found cooperative Agoutis!
The first Agouti was scratching around in leaf litter in a small road-side park area. We pulled the car over and I lowered the window to watch for a while. The Agouti is a rodent. In size and shape it is somewhere between a large, long-legged guinea pig and an Asian Mouse deer, with a body length of up to 61 cm (24 inches) and a weight of up to 4 Kg (8.8 lbs). The term agouti is used to describe colouration in the coat of other animals, such as dogs or horses. It describes a condition of alternating bands of black and blonde on each hair shaft. This colour effect can be seen on this on these shimmering little rodents.
I started to notice more Agoutis in the area. They were on the grass verges, scratching in bushes and timidly tip-toeing through people’s gardens. Agoutis favour a diet of fruits, but will also take vegetables, roots and nuts. They feed sitting on their haunches, squirrel style, holding their food in their front paws, or hands, or feet.
The Agouti is a romantic animal with a kink or two. Pairs mate for life and remain faithful, however, courtship is an unusual affair. The male sprays his bride with urine which, if the time is right, sends her in to a “frenzy dance”. This irresistible jive excites the male in to giving her a few more cheeky sprays. This is too much excitement, she cannot resist, and mating follows. This is how Agoutis are made!
The young Agouti shown in the image below was timidly waiting below a bird feeding table, in a garden in the old Panama Canal Zone. The table was loaded with fruit which was being attacked by a jewel box of tanagers. Perhaps a flick of banana, a berry or half a grape would drop. If so, this little guy would be there waiting to mop up.
Despite being a tasty snack for large birds of prey and many carnivorous mammals, including humans, the Agouti maintains a status of Least Concern. This common rodent barely turns heads in its native gardens and forests of Panama. But, as a child, I used to keep guinea pigs, so seeing this close relative of the wild guinea pig, roaming free in people’s gardens was a truly delightful experience.
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Categories: Central America
incidental naturalist 
It is adorable!
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Wonderful photographs. And I saw one once! Or the agouti’s cousin. I may even have a photograph, but it would take hours to find it. All I remember is some vague images of a town we stayed in somewhere in South America. The town itself was not the attraction but a jumping off point for some major site. I can’t remember more.
Alison
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Thanks Alison! I get the impression that these guys are pretty common is South and Central America. I guess they are the local equivalent of the squirrel. Pretty cute!
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I didn’t know anything about the agouti, David. What a fascinating rodent and you made me laugh with the description of their kinky courtship! Haha. Thanks for the excellent first hand description and cute pictures. I’m sure they would have kept me entertained for a long time. 🙂
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Hi Jane, Happy New Year! Thanks for the kind comment. They are cute and kinky. What more can one ask for? 😄
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‘morning, David. Thanks for the great images of these little creatures and for introducing me to them. I enjoyed your story too.
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Good morning! Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. Best wishes, David.
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They are actually very cute! I say “actually” because not all rodents fall into that description ; ) But their markings, size/shape, and face are very pleasant. And I’ve never heard of this animal before! Love to learn new things, David – thank you!
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They certainly are cute, but to me most rodents are. ☺️ Thanks for the comment. I’m very pleased to introduce you to something new, Lara!
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Truly, most rodents are pretty cute “) Unless they’re baring their teeth at me ; p
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What an unusual looking rodent. I’d not heard of it before David, even though my daughter had pet guinea pigs growing up. Enjoyed your post. 🙂
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I think they are the ‘medium’ of rodents. We hear about guinea pigs and capybara but not often these guys. Strange as they are so common. Thanks for the kind comment! 🙂
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I love agoutis! My first experience with them was at a resort in Mexico. They are ALL OVER THE PLACE there! They are really adorable critters.
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They are so common! They seem to be the Central America answer to the rabbit but less skittish. Love em! 😁
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Hi David! These photos are incredible!
I had one encounter with an agouti while in Belize. I was walking down a dirt road in a tropical rain storm, trying to dodge puddles. I looked up, and there was an agouti not more than 20 feet in front of me in the road! But like many of your encounters, it scampered away before I could snap a picture of it. Not that it would’ve mattered anyway: my cell phone camera seriously struggled to work in the jungle humidity.
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I always say that the experience comes first. The photograph is just a bonus. It isn’t easy to use a cell phone camera in 90% humidity! 😄 we almost booked a trip to Belize but finally chose Panamá. Maybe next time! Thanks for your comment and kind words as always, Josh.
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Belize or Panamá would’ve been a tough choice; they’re both incredible countries! I strongly recommend you visit Belize one of these days though. So many fascinating aspects to explore: the Caribbean Sea and reef, the jungles, ancient Mayan sites, and more. It’s also jam-packed with cultural diversity.
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Great post, David, highlighting the beautiful agouti. It always strikes me how quiet they are. I’ve seen them in several different countries around Central and South America, and their coloring is slightly different depending on where you are. Interesting that each hair shaft has two alternating colors, which explains the variations. Also enjoyed hearing about your pursuit.
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Thanks for the kind words, Jet! I agree, these little guys are so quiet. They do show up themselves in the open but without making a sound. Interesting that you’ve seen color variations around the region. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to add to the conversation 🙏😊
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That’s adorable! I’m in Central America and the wildlife here is incredible!
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