Common Name: Patagonian Mara
Other Names: Patagonian Cavy, Patagonian Hare, Dilbaby
Scientific Name: Dolichotis patagonum
Family: Caviidae (same family as guinea pigs and capybaras)
Origin/Range: Argentina (especially Patagonia’s arid grasslands and shrublands)
Habitat: Open plains, grasslands, scrubby areas with sandy soils
Size: 69–75 cm (27–30 in) long, with a 4–5 cm tail
Weight: 8–16 kg (17–35 lbs)
Appearance:
Long limbs, especially hind legs (built for running and leaping)
Rabbit-like face with large eyes and long ears
Short, coarse fur: brown-gray on the back, white underside, and orange patches on sides and legs
Lifespan: 7–10 years in the wild; up to 14 years in captivity
Activity: Diurnal (active during the day)
Locomotion: Can gallop like a deer and leap up to 6 ft when startled
Social Structure:
Typically live in pairs (monogamous, rare among mammals)
May form larger groups in shared warrens for raising young
Communication: Use grunts, squeals, and scent marking
Burrowing: Don’t dig much themselves, but often use burrows of other animals or shallow scrapes
Type: Herbivores (grazers and browsers)
Main Foods: Grasses, leaves, herbs, seeds, and bark
Adaptations:
Long digestive tract to handle fibrous plants
Practice coprophagy (re-ingesting soft feces to absorb extra nutrients, like rabbits do)
Mating System: Monogamous (pairs often stay together for life)
Breeding Season: Year-round in captivity; seasonally in the wild
Gestation Period: ~90 days
Litter Size: 1–3 pups (usually 2)
Nurseries: Multiple pairs may raise young in communal burrows (creches)
Development: Pups are precocial—born furred, eyes open, can move shortly after birth
Predators: Foxes, pumas, eagles, hawks, owls
Defenses: Camouflage, fast galloping, leaping movements, group vigilance
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List)
Main Threats:
Habitat loss (agriculture, overgrazing by livestock)
Hunting for meat and skin
Competition with introduced hares and livestock