The Bahama Hutias

Warderick Wells has lots of hiking trails.  We hiked them all!

One night while we were at Warderick  Wells, our friends were going to see some Hutias. They talked mom and dad into going. When we got to the park beach, we went Hutia hunting.

Goin' hunting

The Bahama Hutia is a fat little brown, guinea pig sized member of the rodent family. Their weight is just over a pound or so. Hutias are herbivores, they eat leaves, twigs, and some shrubs. They also eat bay cedar, buttonwood and swamp bushes. People used to eat them, but they don't anymore because they are at risk of being extinct. They only live on three islands in the Bahamas.  Wax Cay, East Plana Cay, and Warderick Wells.

The Hutias are nocturnal so we went at night to see them. There were about 20 Hutias on the beach. Some were scared, and some were not. I got about 30 inches away from them.  They were very shy.  I used a headlamp to find them because they were in palm trees hiding and eating twigs. I felt bad for shining my light at them.  They must get blinded sometimes!

Say cheese!

I wished my Maine friends could see them because they were so cute.  I think the Hutias are going to make it because people don't eat them anymore and they are making a lot of babies.  There also was a LOT of scat everywhere. I felt lucky to see such a rare animal. 

Scat

More scat!

Hope you're all well!
Love,
Wren