His eyes were glued to the canopy above, only darting down for a quick look at the ground when he moved.
The hard shells of all the naturally fallen Brazil nuts had split open with several cracks—a specific evolutionary adaptation.
The hard shells protect the kernels from small animals like birds and squirrels while they grow.
After maturing, they fall from such a great height that even the hardest shells are guaranteed to crack, revealing the sweet, fragrant seeds inside.
Agoutis, a species of large rodent, are able to pry open the tough outer shells of Brazil nuts to enjoy the seeds hidden inside.
However, due to the properties of the Brazil nuts themselves, agoutis can't eat too many. They bury the excess seeds in the ground, storing them as a food reserve.
But rodents have a common trait: they are hoarders. After stashing away so much, they often forget where all their caches are.
