Look who is gracing rainforest marvels today....the Mountain Paca!

Source: Mongabay (copyright remains with Mongabay)

The Mountain Paca are found at high elevations between 2000-3000 meters in the mountains of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Brazil and Peru. Mountain Paca are found near rivers or swampy areas and use water as a gateway mechanism as they are excellent swimmers. They are nocturnal animals spending the daytime hours underground in burrow they construct (5 meters deep).

Mountain Paca are rodents with similar features to the guinea pig weighing approximately 9kg and measuring 70cm in length. They engage in monogamous mating systems, however, the male and females have separate residences. Gestation is about 118 days and two litters are born annually (usually 1 or 2 offspring). In the wild their lifespan is about 12.5years.

Mountain Paca's are frugivores. They gorge on fruits and nuts. They will store their food in their central midden in their fur-lined cheek pouches.

Mountain Paca's are hunted for food. They are listed as of least concern on the IUCN red list.

References:-
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/699/0
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cuniculus_taczanowskii/