Patagonian Mara

With long hare-like ears and a body resembling a small deer, the Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum) is a distinctly unusual looking rodent. The upperparts are brownish grey, with a darker patch on the rump bordered below by a white fringe, while the underparts are whitish. The body is well adapted for running, with long, powerful hind limbs, ending in three digits, each bearing a hoof like claw. In contrast, the front limbs are shorter, with four sharp claws that help this species to dig burrows in which the young take refuge. In keeping with its strange appearance, the Patagonian mara displays behavioural traits that are very unusual among the rodents. Active during the day, this species spends long periods basking in the sun, either resting on its haunches or with its front limbs folded under its body like a cat. It remains vigilant for predators, however, and when threatened, may escape by galloping or stotting, a high-speed form of locomotion involving rapid bounces using all four limbs at once. Surprisingly, this diminutive species can reach speeds of 45 kilometres per hour over distances in excess of one kilometre. The Patagonian mara consumes a variety of vegetation, usually feeding in grass or shrubland during the day and sheltering in an abandoned burrow of another species, or amongst dense vegetation at night.