The paca (Cuniculus rasa) is a rodent belonging to the agouti family. 

It lives in the coastal tropical forests of South America. Adult males reach 80 cm in length and 10 kg in weight. In some places, it is also called a paw. It is a large rodent with a short tail. It has a very thin skin, where several longitudinal rows of white streaks and specks stand out against the dark reddish background of the sides. Hind feet with five toes. At the end of the muzzle, there are long mustaches – the organs of touch. The convex arch of the zygomatic bone of the skull has a cavity that serves as a resonator when making sounds, a feature not found in other mammals. This makes the paca look like she has swollen cheeks. 

Paka is distributed from Mexico to Paraguay and Argentina in forested areas. Rummaging through the leafy litter, looking for fallen fruits and edible roots. Especially prefers fruits of fig trees. When digging a puck, he uses not only legs with strong hoof-like claws, but also teeth. At the same time, even thick roots do not stop her. 

Paca (Cuniculus race) This rodent is active at night, spends the day in holes, which he himself digs. Leads a terrestrial lifestyle, swims well. It feeds on fruits and greens of plants. Most often, single individuals are found. 

Because of its excellent meat, paca is pursued by hunters. They hunt her at night or at dawn with dogs. At the same time, she first tries to hide in a hole, but the dogs drive her out of there, and in such a predicament the paca tries to quickly reach the river bank in order to swim away. In boats near the coast, hunters are waiting for the appearance of the beast. Sometimes the paca is hunted with a lantern, finding animals by the reflected glint of the eyes. 

Paka fights well, jumping unexpectedly on aggressors and biting with its large incisors. She can not only swim well, but also dive excellently. In captivity, it quickly becomes tame and becomes attached to the owner, like a dog. Despite the intensive fishing, the pack is very numerous in some places – from several hundred to a thousand heads per 1 km2. The Amazonian Indians use the incisors of this rodent (and agouti) to gouge the channel of a blowgun.