Hispaniolan Hutia
Plagiodontia aedium
The Hispaniolan hutia is a small, rat-like mammal endemic to forests on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It lives in burrows or trees, and is active at night when it feeds on roots and fruits.
2
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniolan_hutia
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Capromyidae
Genus
Plagiodontia
Hispaniolan Hutia belongs to the family Capromyidae, order Rodentia, within the Mammalia class.
Species Profile
The Hispaniolan hutia is a small, rat-like mammal endemic to forests on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It lives in burrows or trees, and is active at night when it feeds on roots and fruits. A member of the hutia subfamily (Capromyinae), Threats to the Hispaniolan hutia include habitat loss and introduced species, such as rats or feral dogs.
The Hispaniolan Hutia faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive habitat destruction from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development across Hispaniola. Hunting pressure for subsistence food and the introduction of non-native predators like cats and dogs have further reduced populations throughout their range.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Hispaniolan hutias inhabit both dry and moist forests on the island. It is reported that they occupy rough hillsides and ravines from sea level to 2,000 meters in elevation; some populations use burrows and feed near the ground, and other populations may den in tree cavities and move through the trees, rather than descend to ground level.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Hispaniolan Hutia faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive habitat destruction from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development across Hispaniola. Hunting pressure for subsistence food and the introduction of non-native predators like cats and dogs have further reduced populations throughout their range.
Habitat loss and deforestation
Hunting for subsistence food
Agricultural expansion
Predation by introduced species (cats, dogs)
Urban development
Found in 2 Countries
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Hispaniolan Hutia (Plagiodontia aedium). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/hispaniolan-hutia