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Spotted paca - AGOUTI PACA
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Paca": "Paca" is the native South American Tupi word for the animal.
Location: From southern Mexico to Brazil.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Forest, near waterways.
Description: The large powerful body is covered with a bristly coat of fur that is dark brown and black, with white markings and stripes on the back. The legs are stocky, and the front feet are four-toed, while the hind feet are five-toed. The head is large and has conspicuous eyes. Pacas grow to about two and a half feet long, with a tail a little over an inch long.
Behavior: The spotted paca is nocturnal and spends the daylight hours resting in its den, which is dug out among the roots of trees or among rocks, either along riverbanks or on mountainsides. The den has several exits, which are often concealed among foliage. It feeds on leaves, roots, and fruit and is a very able swimmer, taking refuge in water if threatened by some danger. It is mostly solitary. The spotted paca is hunted by man for its fat and tasty flesh.
Reproduction: The female has 4 nipples and gives birth twice a year to a single young, and on rare occasions, two.
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