Agoutis, such as this Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) mother with babies, deserve a lot of respect. These large rainforest rodents are seed specialists and play a major role in dispersing seeds across the Americas’ tropical forests.
In a recent interview, tropical ecologist Pierre-Michel Forget explains the importance of seed dispersers–from agoutis to dung beetles to elephants–in order to sustain the astounding diversity of the world’s rainforests. Forget is chair of the 5th Frugivore and Seed Dispersal International Symposium held in Montpellier, France from June 13-18th.
To read the interview with Forget:
Why seed dispersers matter, an interview with Pierre-Michel Forget, chair of the FSD International Symposium.