The Azara’s Agouti (Dasyprocta azarae) is a rodent mammal in the Dasyproctidae family. 

The Azara’s Agouti is native to South America, in countries such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. It prefers rainforests. 

It eats nuts. It eats like a squirrel. It sits on its back legs and holds the nuts in its front legs. It also eats fruit, vegetables, and insects.

The Azara’s Agouti is sometimes known as the Jungle Gardener because it buries nuts and seeds in the ground so that it can eat them later. However, it often forgets where it buried them. The nuts and seeds grow into new plants, helping the forest to regenerate.

Location of photographs: Paris Zoo, France

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM