# What kind of small ground mammal did I (probably) see in Panama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495 "2012-04-21T13:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/1 "2012-04-21T13:25:25Z")
I was going thru the Canal on a cruise ship, and I saw some little brownish mammals bounding about nearby. Larger than rabbits, and no long ears. Maybe gophers? I might try to post a photo, but I didn’t have a telephoto, so I don’t know how well they’ll show up. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/2 "2012-04-21T13:37:40Z")
Hutias? Nutias? I’ve seen Hutias (banana rats) in Cuba, not sure if they are in panama. Both seem to resemble what you describe? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/3 "2012-04-21T13:41:13Z")
Until **Colibri** arrives: [agoutis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_agouti)? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/4 "2012-04-21T13:42:12Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Until **Colibri** arrives: [agoutis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_agouti)? That just might be it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/5 "2012-04-21T13:42:13Z")
Do they have prairie dogs that far south? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/6 "2012-04-21T13:43:31Z")
I’ll bet it was what they call a “tepescuintle” (_Agouti paca_, I think) in Mexico. Nahuatl for “forest dog”. Good eatin’. ETA: I see now they put the tepezcuintle (a.k.a. spotted paca or lowland paca) in a different [genus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowland_Paca). ---
**Author:** ![Dufus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@Dufus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dufus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/7 "2012-04-21T21:58:39Z")
I lived in Panama for 2 years and was totally befuddled by [capybaras](https://www.google.com/search?q=Capybara&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=mSyTT_XsNeue6QHTl7GjBA&ved=0CFgQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=677&sei=nyyTT92kCYeJgwf80sH6BA). [Coatimundis](https://www.google.com/search?q=Coatimudis&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Pi2TT6yuJOL66QGb7Oy6BA&biw=1280&bih=677&sei=QS2TT7G0HsP_ggfE9vWIBQ#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3i2TT6jEAcHEgQe4y5mQBQ&ved=0CEAQBSgA&q=Coatimundis&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=7794bae590efb64a&biw=1280&bih=677) were my all time favorite critters. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/8 "2012-04-21T22:28:21Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Until **Colibri** arrives: [agoutis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_agouti)? That’s surely it. They’re very common, even in towns, where they walk around on lawns and in gardens in suburban areas. They are active in daylight hours too. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/9 "2012-04-21T22:33:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Hutias? Nutias? I’ve seen Hutias (banana rats) in Cuba, not sure if they are in panama. Both seem to resemble what you describe? Hutias are endemic to the West Indies, and don’t occur in Panama. Neither do nutrias. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Do they have prairie dogs that far south? No. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > I’ll bet it was what they call a “tepescuintle” (_Agouti paca_, I think) in Mexico. Nahuatl for “forest dog”. Good eatin’. > > ETA: I see now they put the tepezcuintle (a.k.a. spotted paca or lowland paca) in a different [genus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowland_Paca). Pacas are nocturnal and rarely seen. Locally they are called _conejo pintado_ (spotted rabbit). The former scientific name caused much confusion, since they are not agoutis. The agouti’s genus is _Dasyprocta,_ literally “hairy butt” in Latin. > [@Dufus](#): > > I lived in Panama for 2 years and was totally befuddled by [capybaras](https://www.google.com/search?q=Capybara&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=mSyTT_XsNeue6QHTl7GjBA&ved=0CFgQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=677&sei=nyyTT92kCYeJgwf80sH6BA). They are around but mostly nocturnal and much bigger than agoutis. ---
**Author:** ![Dufus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@Dufus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dufus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/10 "2012-04-22T00:05:37Z")
> [@](#): > > They are around but mostly nocturnal and much bigger than agoutis. All the capybara I saw were in broad open daylight. They are much bigger than agoutis and are probably even big enough to be seen on the bank of an island from the deck of a cruise ship traveling through Gatun Lake! This [web site](http://www.hebigzoo.com/Animals/Capybara.asp) says: In areas where people disturb them more often, the capybaras are more nocturnal or active at night, for safety. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-small-ground-mammal-did-i-probably-see-in-panama/619495/11 "2012-04-22T01:54:59Z")
> [@Dufus](#): > > All the capybara I saw were in broad open daylight. They are much bigger than agoutis and are probably even big enough to be seen on the bank of an island from the deck of a cruise ship traveling through Gatun Lake! Yes, they do come out in daylight, and I’ve seen them in daytime near the Canal. But I see them more often crossing roads at night.