Patagonian Mara

rodent · Argentina · pair bonding

Looks like a rabbit. The Patagonian mara is a big rodent with long hind legs and a body shaped like a rabbit, but it is actually a type of cavy, not a true hare or rabbit.

Mates for life. These animals are monogamous, meaning they pair up with one partner and stay together. This is quite rare among rodents.

Eats only plants. Patagonian maras are herbivores that graze and browse on grasses and plants in the open grasslands and semi-desert areas where they live.

Shared underground homes. Even though pairs stay together, several mara couples often share the same warren, or underground burrow system, raising their young in close proximity.

Lives in Patagonia. These hopping rodents are found in Argentina, especially across the wide-open regions of Patagonia where the land is grassy and windswept.