Patagonian Mara

Scientific name: Dolichotis patagonum

diet: Herbivore

range:South America [VIEW MAP]

habitat:Forests, Grasslands, Scrublands

Viewing Hints:

Bonded pairs of this monogamous species live and travel together, remaining in close proximity but rarely making physical contact. On warmer days, look for them in shady areas of their habitat. On cooler days, they may cozy up inside their hide box.

Photos and Videos

General Information:

Patagonian maras are diurnal mammals native to Argentina. With their long ears and legs, they may look similar to hares, but they are actually rodents most closely related to guinea pigs and capybaras. Their social structure is unusual among mammals. Except for the use of communal burrows for young pups, monogamous pairs will defend their territory from other pairs until resources are depleted and they move to a new area. Since they spend over one-third of their day grazing, their teeth grow continuously throughout their lives in response to the constant wear. Their predators include felids, foxes and grisons (weasel-like carnivores). When alarmed by these predators, maras may “stot,” a behavior typically seen in ungulates that consists of jumping in the air from all four legs.

Physical Features and Characteristics:

Patagonian maras are not your typical rodents. Their bodies are like those of hoofed animals, while their legs and ears are like a hare’s, but their faces look like one of their closest relatives, the capybara. Their dense coats are fine in texture and are primarily grayish brown in color, with a white patch on the stomach and orange around their cheeks and chests. Their large ears help them hear predators and regulate their body temperature, while their long limbs are well suited for running, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour when alarmed. They weigh between 16 to 20 pounds, with males being slightly larger than females.

Lifestyle and Reproduction:

These mammals mate for life. Monogamous bonded pairs live and travel together, with the female deciding when to rest, graze, or move. Bonded pairs stay close to one another but rarely make physical contact outside of breeding encounters. For protection, they may rear young in communal burrows with up to 30 pups. Typically producing litters of two pups, females identify their offspring by scent and via vocalizations. They will vigilantly inspect pups before allowing them to nurse, which only occurs once per day for about an hour. The occasional unrelated pup will only get a few minutes’ worth of milk before being chased off. Pups spend their first six weeks of life in the burrow before emerging to forage with their parents.

Range:

Patagonian maras inhabit several biomes of Argentina, including portions of Las Pampas, the Monte Desert and their namesake Patagonia region.

Habitat:

A range of temperate lowland habitats are suitable for Patagonian maras, including grasslands, shrublands and other semi-arid open areas.

Diet:

Wild Patagonian maras rely on grasses and shrub leaves and will also opportunistically forage for fruit. Here at the Zoo, their diet of vegetables and browse (edible plant material) is supplemented with commercially prepared rodent chow.

Conservation:

Habitat destruction for agriculture and hunting have resulted in population declines and localized extinction in some areas. You can be part of the solution by purchasing locally sourced produce to avoid contributing to mara habitat loss to crop conversion. Participating in Meatless Mondays can also help preserve mara habitat in Argentina, which is known for its beef cattle industry.