A rodent which looks a bit like a small deer with long ears, and which lives on the plains and scrubland of Argentina. Males and females form long-term pair bonds, but the young form creches.

Life span
Up to 15 years.

Statistics
50-75cm long with a 4.5cm tail and weighing 8-9kg.

Physical description
An animal looking like a cross between a rabbit and a small deer, with short brown fur, a dark rump and white belly. There is a distinctive white fringe around the base of the rump. The muzzle is quite broad and deep, and the ears and eyes quite large. The legs are relatively long and thin.

Distribution
Central and Southern Argentina.

Habitat
Open scrub desert and grassland.

Diet
Short grasses and herbs.

Behaviour
Maras live most of the year in pairs, and defend a home range of about 40 hectares and are rarely seen in larger aggregations except around water. In the breeding season about 15 pairs congregate at a communal den, dug by the females, although the individuals are still wary of each other and try to avoid meeting.

Reproduction
Females give birth to 1-3 young after a gestation of 90 days. Within a day the pups start grazing and wandering from the burrow, but they stay near it for up to 4 months, with the mother returning to nurse them once or twice a day. All the pups will greet a returning mother, but she will sniff out her own young and only suckle those, whilst the male stands guard, keeping other returning pairs at bay. At larger dens there is often one pair standing guard at all times.

Conservation status
Listed as 'Lower Risk - Near Threatened'

Voice
Low grumbles are used to keep contact between members of a pair, and whistling calls between mothers and young.