Chacoan Mara
The Chacoan mara belongs to the caviidae family, which includes the capybara and guinea pig. These rodents are relatively large compared to other caviidae and share a resemblance with hares due to their long, slender legs, large ears, and blunt muzzles. They have dense, greyish fur with whitish underparts and possess hoof-like claws on their hind feet. Chacoan maras are highly social and typically live in small groups of up to four individuals. They display unique, playful behaviour, including “frisky hops”, rapid dashes, and sudden leaps. Their centralised urination sites often double as sandbathing spots, where individuals roll around to coat themselves in the shared scent of the group. Scent marking is a crucial means of communication, and it is common for them to urinate on one another to reinforce social bonds. At birth, Chacoan maras are highly precocial, meaning they are well-developed and can run at high speeds within hours, helping them escape predators such as jaguars, pumas, and Pampas foxes.
Diet
Chacoan maras are herbivores that feed on a variety of plant matter. Their diet consists mainly of grasses and herbs, but they also consume forbes, woody plants, fruits, seeds, and succulents. They adjust their diet based on the seasons, favouring grasses and annual forbs in the wet season and shifting to succulents like cacti and bromeliads in the dry season when water sources are scarce.
FUN FACT
From just a few hours after birth, Chacoan maras can run at high speeds to evade predators. Their long, powerful hind legs make them excellent runners, and they rely on speed and agility as their primary defence.
LIFE SPAN
14 years.
HABITAT
Chacoan maras are endemic to the South American Chaco, a vast region spanning Paraguay, northern Argentina, and southern Bolivia. They inhabit a mix of arid forests, thorny scrublands, grasslands, wetlands, and seasonal rivers and streams. They are typically found in flat, open areas, allowing them to spot predators from a distance. Some populations also inhabit elevations ranging from 400 to 800 metres. At night, they retreat to burrows, either dug by themselves or abandoned by vizcachas, for shelter. These burrows provide protection from predators and extreme weather conditions in their dry, often harsh environment.
