Bahamian Hutia
Geocapromys ingrahami (J.A.Allen, 1891)
Also calledBahama-Ferkelratte (deu) · Bahama-szigeteki hutia (hun) · Bahamasbeverrotte (nob) · Bahamastompstaartrat (nld) · Hutia d'Ingraham (fra) · Hutia des Bahamas (fra) · Jutía Bahameña (spa) · Jutía de Bahamas (spa) · hutia bahamská (ces) · nocohutia bahamski (pol) · Хутия Инграхама (rus) · スワンフチア (jpn)
First described in: Bull Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. vol.3 p.329
The Bahamian hutia or Ingraham's hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami) is a small, furry, rat-like mammal found only in the Bahamas. About the size of a rabbit, it lives in burrows in forests or shrubland, emerging at night to feed on leaves, fruit, and other plant matter. It was believed extinct until rediscovery in 1964, and it remains the focus of conservation efforts. The Bahamian hutia is a member of the hutia subfamily (Capromyinae), a group of rodents native to the Caribbean, many of which are endangered or extinct.
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
distribution
Distribution: Known from the type locality and introduced populations on Little Wax Cay (1973) and Warderick Wells Cay (1981).
Order Rodentia - Family Capromyidae
distribution
DISTRIBUTION: Type locality, and introduced on Little Wax Cay (1973) and Warderick Wells Cay (1981).
Order Rodentia - Suborder Hystricognathi
activity
Activity patterns. Ingraham’s Hutia is strictly nocturnal and spends most ofits active period foraging.
Echimyidae
biology_ecology
Habitat. Semiarid habitats of woody shrubs and thickets on East Plana Cay coral atoll. Ingraham’s Hutia lives in underground crevices or caves and under leaf piles ofsilver palm trees (Coccothrinax argentata, Arecaceae). It does not nest or burrow but has scansorial locomotion and is a good climber.
Echimyidae
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The Bahamian hutia is a rat-like rodent with a short tail and a body-length of up to 60 centimetres (24 in). Its fur varies in colour and can be black, brown, grey, white or reddish.
Range & habitat
The Bahamian hutia is endemic to the Bahamas. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas. It was believed to be extinct until 1966, when biologist Garrett Clough found a relict population on East Plana Cay, a small, uninhabited strip of land east of Long Island, Bahamas, between Acklins Island and Mayaguana Island. The Plana Cays are the last natural habitat of the Bahamian hutia and are currently home to most of the remaining population. Colonist hutias were introduced into isolated parts of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park in 1973 as a conservation measure. The IUCN puts it as possibly extant in the Turks and Caicos islands.
What it does
The Bahamian hutia is a nocturnal species, remaining underground during the day. It can climb trees but mostly forages on or close to the ground, feeding on leaves, shoots, fruit, nuts and bark and occasionally insects or small lizards. It has been known to feed on seaweed. Adults form lasting pair bonds and breeding can occur at any time of year. Up to four young are born after a gestation period of about four months. They are able to eat solid food after a few days and may stay as a family group for up to two years, by which time they are sexually mature. Different species of hutia vary greatly in temperament, but biologist Garrett Clough described the Bahamian hutia as "a most peaceable rodent".
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From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2437651.