Mara

Scientific name: Dolichotis patagonum

Maras look like a cross between a rabbit and a small deer. They have short brown fur, a dark rump and a white belly. Maras have 3 sharp-clawed digits on their hind feet and 4 digits on their front feet.

Maras mate for life. In the breeding season, about 15 pairs of mara congregate at a communal den. Females give birth to between 1-3 young. Then, within a day, the pups start grazing and wandering from the den. They will remain close to the den for up to 4 months, with the mother returning once or twice a day to feed them. All of the pups will greet a returning mother but she will sniff out her own young and only suckle those. The male stands guard whilst the female is feeding her young, as maras are very wary of each other and avoid meeting.

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