Pacarana

Pacarana, large, slow-moving, long-whiskered rodent found on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains in South America. It is one of the largest living rodents, surpassed only by the capybara and the beaver. The pacarana can reach 15 kg (33 lb) in weight and 80 cm (32 in) in length, excluding the tail. Fossil records indicate that the pacarana is a descendant of the Telicomys genus of rodents. Now extinct, these rodents could reach the size of a small rhinoceros.

The pacarana has a coarse coat of brown or black fur, with white stripes and spots marking the back, sides, and rump. The furred tail measures about 20 cm (about 8 in) in length. The snout is rounded, the ears small, and the legs short with long, sharp claws on the feet. Pacaranas climb trees well but move with a clumsy gait on the ground.

The pacarana ranges from northwestern Venezuela to western Bolivia at elevations of about 2,000 m (about 6,500 ft). It prefers mountain valleys and lower slopes covered with rain forest vegetation. It is an herbivore and mainly feeds on fruit, leaves, and plant stems. Active at night, it takes shelter in rock piles, crevices, or underground burrows, but it has also been observed sleeping in trees.

Pacaranas make a number of different vocalizations, including growls, hisses, and whimpers, and scientists suspect that they have highly developed social behaviors. Pacaranas that have been captured for study seem to be peaceful and good-natured. Their natural enemies include jaguars, humans, and other carnivores. Females give birth to one or two young after a gestation lasting up to 280 days (about 9 months), which is unusually long for a rodent. Pacaranas can live more than nine years in captivity.

The pacarana has been listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Habitat destruction and hunting pose serious threats to the survival of this species.

Scientific classification: The pacarana is the only member of the Dinomyidae family in the order Rodentia. It is classified as Dinomys branickii.