Lowland paca Cuniculus paca Least concern
Where the lowland paca lives – recorded in 9 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.
Pin and shaded countries are approximate. The pin is a representative wild sighting (a central record among 8,689 open-licence GBIF records), not an official range. Method · Records on GBIF · See mice, rats & other rodents on the world map
| Scientific name | Cuniculus paca |
|---|---|
| Group | Mice, rats & other rodents |
| Status | Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label) |
| Found in | 9 countries |
| Continents | North America, South America |
| Class | Mammal |
| Order | Rodentia |
| Family | Cuniculidae |
Where does the lowland paca live?
Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the lowland paca in 9 countries and territories across North America and South America. Wikidata gives its range as: Brazil.
Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.
Is the lowland paca endangered?
The lowland paca’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.
What kind of animal is the lowland paca?
The lowland paca (Cuniculus paca) is a mammal in the order Rodentia and the family Cuniculidae, genus Cuniculus. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)
About the lowland paca
The lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), also known as the spotted paca, is a species of rodent. It has coarse dark brown to black fur, a pale underbelly, and typically 3–5 rows of white spots along its sides. Adults weigh 6 to 12 kilograms (13 to 26 lb). Its zygomatic arch is expanded laterally and dorsally to form a resonating chamber, a feature unique among mammals.
Lowland pacas are primarily nocturnal and solitary. They inhabit forested areas near water, live in burrows, and are strong swimmers that commonly enter the water to escape danger. Their diet consists mainly of plant material, including fruit, seeds, nuts, roots, and tubers, and they act as seed distributors.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Lowland paca (revision 1371785478), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q33936 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).
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