Wild Caribbean: The Caribbean’s Most Unusual Animals

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April 22, 2014

 7. Lappe or lowland paca (Trinidad and Tobago)
lappe-lowland-paca

Known as the gibnut in Belize, the labba in Guyana and the lappe in Trinidad and Tobago, the lowland paca is a rodent of many names. The nocturnal creature’s meat is particularly prized in T&T, making them a favorite target of hunters, both in and out of the official hunting season. The country recently implemented a controversial no-trapping, no-hunting zone intended to help overexploited game animals such as the lappe restore their numbers, but with meat going for $19 a pound, poaching persists.