Lowland Paca  
Cuniculus paca

Where do I Live?  This large rodent is found in forested habitats, from east Mexico south to Paraguay. Always found near water they prefer small fast streams to larger rivers.

About me...  The Lowland Paca has coarse fur without underfur, dark brown to black on the upper body and white or yellowish on the underbelly. It usually has three to five rows of white spots along its sides. An unique feature of this animal is the extended cheekbone used as a resonating chamber allowing sounds to echo and build up.  The forefeet have 4 digits and the hind feet 5 digits.  Pacas are solitary and nocturnal leaving their burrows at night along pathways to water and feeding grounds.  It has 2 litters per year giving birth to 1 young (sometimes 2) after 118 days gestation.

What do I eat?  Pacas are good swimmers and will usually try to escape danger in the water, they are also incredible climbers and search for fruit in the trees.  Pacas are herbivores, their diet includes leaves, stems, roots, seed but they prefer fruit.

What dangers do I face in the wild?    Habitat loss is a threat to pacas, now extinct in the southeast of its range, they are also hunted as bush meat throughout much of their range.