The Houston Zoo is home to a lot of animals, and some of them are often overlooked. This series of blog entries is focused on the animals that you may have missed on your last visit.
When people approach the indoor rainforest exhibit in Natural Encounters, the first things that draw their attention are the vines and branches at eye level and above. Often, this is also the area of highest activity – several small primate species, birds, and even a sloth can be seen in these branches. But if you take the time to look down instead of up, you may catch an intriguing resident of this exhibit: the acouchi.
Acouchi in Natural Encounters
Acouchis are rodents from South America. They are found primarily on the forest floor, as their feet are not suited for climbing. These little animals are important to the health of the rainforest – they eat fruit, and will even break into a run when they hear fruit hit the ground. When fruit is abundant, they bury it underground like their cousin, the squirrel. And just like a squirrel, an acouchi does not find all of the fruit it buried. This works to plant seeds and spread them around the forest, helping the next generation of rainforest giants to grow.
Our acouchi is usually in the right half of the exhibit. If you can’t find him on the ground, check the rockwork in the back. The exhibit is designed to allow ground-dwelling animals to move up and down. As a prey animal, the acouchi likes to be somewhat hidden, so you may find him hiding under the bridge or near the potted plants.
Of course, no animal is guaranteed to be visible on every visit. Even if you know where to look, you might still miss the animal if it is off exhibit or hiding especially well when you visit. Unlike his arboreal roommates, the acouchi does not alternate between exhibits; he is always in the indoor rainforest.
