coney

A medium sized terrestrial rodent found in the Jamaican forests. The species is endemic to Jamaica and related to hutias and guinea pigs. They have long tails, large heads and a squat appearance. The fur is typically brown, reddish brown, or dark brown. Previous generations of Jamaicans, particularly those of Maroon ancestry, used to hunt them for food. For many years they were thought to be extinct, but there have been a few sightings in recent times.