Camera traps reveal the predation of artificial nests by free-ranging Azara's agoutis,Dasyprocta azaraeLichtenstein, 1823, in central Brazil

Agoutis,Dasyproctaspp., are medium-sized rodents distributed in Neotropical region. Their diet is usually described as granivorous/frugivorous, and agoutis are recognised as important seed dispersers. Here, we present two spatially and temporally independent records of egg predation by Azara's agouti,Dasyprocta azarae, in fragments of Cerrado savanna forest. In both cases, the agoutis ingested quail eggs that had been placed in artificial nests at ground level, 100 m from the edge of the forest. AsDasyproctais a herbivorous rodent, this predatory behaviour is unexpected and may represent an opportunistic foraging strategy. These observations provide important new insights into the feeding biology of agoutis and highlight the value of camera traps as a tool for the collection of data on the behavioural ecology and natural history of vertebrates in general.

Automated summary

Agoutis, medium-sized rodents in the Neotropical region, are mainly granivorous/frugivorous and important seed dispersers. The unexpected predatory behavior of Azara's agouti in Cerrado savanna forest, feeding on quail eggs, may indicate an opportunistic foraging strategy and provides new insights into their feeding biology. Camera traps prove valuable for studying the behavioral ecology and natural history of vertebrates.