Paca

The genus Cuniculus has the two species of paca.

• Lowland Paca, Cuniculus paca
• Mountain Paca, Cuniculus taczanowskii

Pacas
Lowland Paca
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Suborder:	Hystricomorpha
Genus:	Cuniculus
Species
Cuniculus paca Cuniculus taczanowskii
Synonyms
For Cuniculidae: Agoutidae Gray, 1821 Coelogenyidae Gervais, 1849 For Cuniculus: Agouti Lacépède, 1799 Caelogenus Fleming, 1822 Caelogenys Agassiz, 1842 Coelogenus Cuvier, 1807 Coelogenys Illiger, 1811 Mamcoelogenysus Herrera, 1899 Osteopera Harlan, 1825 Paca Fischer, 1814 Stictomys Thomas, 1924

Pacas are found from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They are a source of meat in many places.

Both species of paca eat mainly fruit. Other foods include roots, seeds, leaves, buds, and flowers. In the wild, pacas are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants. In captivity, they are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and flesh. Pacas in zoos eat fruits, vegetables, raw meat, lizards, and insects.

Paca Media

• 

  Cuniculus paca, common name Tepezcuintle, mammal of the rodent family is native to the rainforest of Costa Rica, however it can also be found in mountain forests, introduced by the locals.

• 

  Foraging pacas in Costa Rica