Mara Dolichotis patagonum

Animals in our sanctuary

Sana

Date taken in

28-02-2011

The animals from the time when De Zonnegloed was a children's education farm will of course continue to live in De Zonnegloed. Sana is one of the animals that was already present from the beginning, before we became a sanctuary.

Zork

Date taken in

21-07-2011

The animals from the time when De Zonnegloed was a children's education farm will of course continue to live in De Zonnegloed. Zork is one of the animals that was already present from the beginning, before we became a sanctuary.

Sientje

Date taken in

15-06-2012

The animals from the time when De Zonnegloed was a children's education farm will of course continue to live in De Zonnegloed. Sientje is one of the animals that was already present from the beginning, before we became a sanctuary.

Marco

Date taken in

15-06-2012

The animals from the time when De Zonnegloed was a children's education farm will of course continue to live in De Zonnegloed. Marco is one of the animals that was already present from the beginning, before we became a sanctuary.

Majo

Date of birth

26-06-2016

Date taken in

26-06-2016

The animals from the time when De Zonnegloed was a children's education farm will of course continue to live in De Zonnegloed. MAJO2 is one of the animals that was already present from the beginning, before we became a sanctuary.

Where does he feel most at home?

The Patagonian mara lives in the central and southern regions of Argentina. These regions consist of many different habitats ranging from deserts to thorny bushes. The mara will digg holes in open grass plains. This way they protect themselves against predators and keep a close eye on them.

What's his favourite food?

Mara's are herbivores; they eat grass, plants, fruit and seeds. They only eat the tips of grass blades. As a result, the food sources quickly become exhausted and they graze further across the plains. In the different habitats, maras have different compositions of diets. They adapt their eating pattern to the environment, because the planting varies in the different areas.

Fun fact

Maras are monogamous animals. A couple usually stays together all their lives. This bond is mainly maintained by the males. They follow and protect the female wherever she goes. The male pees on his female to indicate to other males that it is his female.