Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum)
Suborder
HYTRICOMORPHA
Family CAVIIDAE
Patagonian mara
(Dolichotis patagonum)
French Mara
Distribution map German Mara
Spanish Mara mayor, Liebre patagonica
Local language
Range Argentina pampa
Habitat Arid grasslands and scrub deserts
IUCN Red List Status 2006 Lower risk
CITES Status Not listed
CMS Status Not listed
Wild population Unknown, but declining
Zoo population 1100 reported to ISIS (2006), but this species is also
kept as animal pet
Facts about the Patagonian mara
The mara is a huge, long-legged cavy with a head-body length of 69-75
cm and a body-weight of 9-16 kg. The tail is hairless and very short,
measuring about 45 mm. The hind legs have three toes with hooflike
claws and are longer than the fore legs, which gave four digits.
The dense and fine fur is greyish-brown on the upper parts and whitish
on the belly. The rump exhibits a striking white patch separated from
the dorsal fur by a contrasting black area. The flanks and chin are
orangish.
A cavy pair breeds two or three times a year. A litter consists of 1-3
young, which are born after a 3 month gestation period. The young are
well developed at birth. They are born outside a burrow but are
quickly placed in a communal den, usually made from a hole or tunnel
abandoned by another animal. This den is home to the offspring of as
many as 15 cavy pairs. Weaning occurs at about 11 weeks, and a young
female may conceive when about 5 months old.
Maras are grazers and, like other cavies, are coprophagous.
Why do zoos keep the Patagonian mara
Being the largest cavy and having a unique lifestyle for a rodent, the
Patagonian mara is primarily kept for educational purposes. It is also
a good ambassador species for iths threatened habitat, the pampa of
Argentina.
How the Patagonian mara should be kept
Maras are social and fairly cold resistant animals and should be kept
in groups in outdoor enclosures. Legal minimum requirements for
enclosure size vary considerably, and it is recommended that, for a
pair, the outdoor enclosure should not be smaller than 60 m², and that
6 m² be added for each additional adult 6 m². Except in very cold
climatic zones, maras need only simple shelters as a protection from
inclement weather. The soil of the enclosure must be well drained and
ideally is grass-covered.
Maras are ideal animals for walk-thru exhibits. They also can easily
be associated with other pampas species such as guanaco, rhea, or
pampas deer.