Despite its name, it is not closely related to the more common paca; in fact, the pacarana is the only living member of its entire family, Dinomyidae. That makes it something of a living fossil—a survivor of a once-diverse group of giant rodents that included species as big as buffalo. Today, the pacarana is much smaller than those ancient giants, but it is still an impressively large rodent, reaching nearly the size of a small dog. Its body is chunky and covered in coarse, dark brown fur marked with white stripes and spots, giving it a striking pattern that stands out compared to most other rodents.

Unlike the quick, skittish movements of most rodents, the pacarana is heavy-bodied and moves with calm, almost lumbering steps. It is nocturnal, emerging at night to feed mainly on leaves, stems, fruit, and bark. With its strong teeth and powerful jaws, it can chew through tough plant matter that many other animals avoid. During the day, it shelters in burrows or rocky crevices, often close to rivers or forested valleys in the Andes. Pacaranas are also known for their unusual sitting posture—they often sit upright on their haunches, using their dexterous front paws to grasp food in an almost human-like way.

Socially, the pacarana tends to live in small family groups, usually a pair of adults with their young. They communicate with each other through soft whistles, grunts, and tooth chattering, and they are much less noisy than their close rodent relatives. Because they are rare and have a limited range—from western Brazil and Peru to Colombia and Bolivia—they are not often seen by people. For a long time, the species was thought to be endangered or even nearly extinct, but more recent studies have shown that small populations still persist in remote areas. However, they remain vulnerable to habitat loss and hunting.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Bolivia

2016

Brazil

2016

Colombia

2016

Ecuador

2016

Peru

2016

Venezuela

2016