Desmarest's Hutia
Capromys pilorides
Conservation Status
Least ConcernMammalia · Rodentia · Capromyidae
About
Desmarest's hutia or the Cuban hutia is a stout, furry, rat-like mammal found only on Cuba and nearby islands. Growing to about 60 cm (2 ft), it normally lives in pairs and feeds on leaves, fruit, bark and sometimes small animals. It is the largest living hutia, a group of rodents native to the Caribbean that are mostly endangered or extinct. Desmarest's hutia remains widespread throughout its range, though one subspecies native to the nearby Cayman Islands went extinct shortly after European colonization in the 1500s.
Fun Fact
Desmarest's hutias are Cuba's largest native land mammal, and despite being rodents, they fill the ecological niche that small primates occupy on other Caribbean islands.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Tropical forests and mangroves
Diet
Herbivore
Lifespan
8-11 years
Threats
- Habitat Fragmentation
- Deforestation