ANIMAL: Patagonian Mara Dolichotis patagonum Type of Animal: Cavy Habitat: Open/semi-open grassland, bushland, desert, scrub, shrubland, open forest, scrub forest, savanna, thorny steppe, plains, agricultural areas Location(s): C. & S. Argentina Appearance: Gray back & face, rabbit-like ears, orangish belly, rodent-like nose, long legs, looks like cross between antelope, rabbit, & kangaroo. Food/Diet: Grasses & herbs Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding from farms, ranches, zoos, wildlife parks, & private breeders. Farmed for meat sometimes. Lifestyle: Colonies of 1-10 monogamous pairs Additional Info: Called: Male-Boar Female-Sow Young-Pup Group-Colony Weight: Adult-25-35 lbs Young-1 lb Gestation: 3 months Height: 2 ft Body Length: 2.5 ft Life Span: 8-10 years in wild, up to 14 years in captivity Females often put offspring into crèches for safety. Main predators of adults are felids, canids, & very large raptors. Raptors & grison prey on young. 4th largest rodent after porcupines, beavers, and capybaras, respectively. They squeal like guinea pigs. Declining due to competition w/ rabbits for food & space along w/ habitat loss & hunting for meat. Females can have up to 3 litters per year, w/ each litter containing 1-3 babies. They’re very good diggers. Females sexually mature at 2.5 months, males at 6 months. Commonly kept in zoos as education animals & as breeders. Males help guard offspring. Grunting used as a threat. Like most rodents, teeth keep growing. Fun Fact(s): Can run up to 30 mph. Sometimes kept as pets & are very gentle animals that can be leash & potty trained. However, they require special caging. If startled, they can leap up to 6 ft in the air. They can be quite flighty.
