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Dolichotis patagonum


Dolichotis patagonum
Photo Information
Copyright: Alan Turvey (liquidsunshine) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2047 W: 113 N: 3421] (11488)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-18
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX APO RF, Hoya skylight (1B)
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Baby Animals 6 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-08-31 13:25
Viewed: 1565
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Mara is one of Whipsnades free roaming animals. This is a baby one which was sat watching the Tigers!!
I've added two more alternate views of the Mara as WS posts.

Scientific Name : Dolichotis patagonum

World Distribution
Maras come from an area of central and southern Argentina known as the Patagonian Plains

Habitat
They live in huge, dry, wide-open stretches of grassland or scrubland, where vegetation is sparse and trees are few and far between.

Feeding
Maras will eat almost any vegetation but they prefer to feed on grasses and herbs.
In the summer, when practically everything has dried up, they head for the beds of shallow lakes and ponds, where grass is still growing. Here, up to 100 maras have been seen grazing together, but at other times they are much more spread out, moving in pairs rather than groups.

Predators
Their main predator is the Andean fox, but they might also get eaten by a maned wolf. Baby maras are at risk from Patagonian weasels and birds of prey. When a mara has been spotted, it leaps into the air and sets off at a gallop, showing its white rump as a warning signal to others.(Deer and antelope do this too).

Breeding
Maras mate for life, the male staying close to his partner and guarding her from other males.
Twice a year the female gives birth to a litter of 1-3 babies, which are born fully furred with their eyes open.
She leaves them in a burrow which is shared by the babies of about ten other mothers - a sort of communal creche! The mothers take turns to visit the creche to find their own young, recognising them by their smell. All the babies push and shove to get milk, but they must wait for their own mums!

Other interesting facts
The mara's back legs are slightly longer than its front legs, helping it to push off into a fast sprint to escape predators.

Maras make little grunting noises, not unlike pet guinea pigs, to communicate.

They dig burrows but do not live in them - their purpose is to keep the young safely hidden.

Where found: South America
Habitat grasslands
Average length 72 cm
Average weight 12 kg
Average number of young per year 3
Gestation 90 days
Maximum lifespan 14 years

Notes from www.sch.im

Thanks for looking, have a great end to the week.

SkyF, marmottelolo, wkshelton, vanderschelden, valy67, Dando, pablominto, RAP, claudine, Signal-Womb, aido, coasties, marhowie, metcher, elefantino has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-08-31 13:33]

Hi Alan
very cute critter you captured. Great POV to get a wonderful look at this interesing animal. Colors, Details and sharpness are great
TFS..Sky

bonjour alan
merci de nous faire decouvrir des especes peu connues,enfin ici en france en tout cas.
laurent

Hi Alan,
it's so cute and sitting there in a lovely pose. I like it, I also like to go to the zoo - but so many time. Thanks for sharing, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2165 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2006-08-31 13:55]

very good shot alan.
the quality is good the point of view is nice and the details are good, nice dof, well done.
gr. jaap

Hello Alan, excellent colors, Bg, POv DOF perfect details very crisp. Not sure iv ever seen this animal or not, Bur great work, TFS Kyle

Alan,
Quite simple compo (of a species I don't know).
Well done
Annick

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1471 W: 18 N: 2981] (10944)
  • [2006-08-31 15:34]

Lovely shot with great details. Great POV

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1318 W: 52 N: 1782] (5276)
  • [2006-08-31 15:48]

Hi Alan !
These Mara are really strange animals, I have never seen them in real but I would love to ! :-) This young one is very cute, and I love his pose very much. Excellent details, colors, compositon and BG. Very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 32 N: 790] (3052)
  • [2006-08-31 15:53]

Hi Alan, nice job of this rabbit on steroids. They are cute but quite unusual looking at the same time. You have shown it well with good details, colours and lighting. I also like the 2nd workshop shot aswell. Great work, TFS.
Dean.

  •      
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 475 W: 0 N: 926] (7973)
  • [2006-08-31 16:00]

Hi Alan,

Great cute capture. Natural colors and interesting pose. TFS.

regards,
Zeno.

Hello Alan,
A lovely creature, seems so fragile..!
Well captured, with good colours and fine textures... Maybe this is not his best pose, probably a bit shy!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hello Alan, your images show what an unusual looking little fellow he is. Here you present him with good composition and pose. Well done mf, take care.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3071 W: 231 N: 5861] (19714)
  • [2006-09-01 3:05]

What a cute little fellow, Alan.
A rather odd looking creature indeed.
Well shown here in an interesting pose
and with sharp details.
TFS. : )

Hi Alan,
Superb anımal picture.Very good sharp, details, colours and compo.Well done.
Regards.

hAyAti

Hi Alan

We have two of these at the Auckland Zoo. They don't appear to do to much. Each time I visit the Zoo they seem to be siting down or asleep. Nice to see one looking alert. Love the shaspe of the eye. Nice camera work. TFS.

Hi Alan,
What a strange animal that I did't know! So, he loves tigers!!! :) You caugh it well with great details, interesting WS pictures and good notes. This is a very instructive post, TFS,
Claudine

Hi Alan,
What a beautiful photo of an animal I've never seen in real life. I love the pose you've captured him and find the two bonus photos as beautiful as this one. You've capture great detials.
TFS,
Niek

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7745)
  • [2006-09-01 7:30]

Hi Allan
Good shot of this mara. Great sharpnes, details, colours, light, DOF and POV. Also great note.
Well done Allan

osse

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1097 W: 168 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-09-01 7:54]

Hi Alan,
A brave Mara :-) It's a nice shot of the cute little creature, you've captured some of the innocence that we rarely anywhere but in the young of a species. Good detail and great colours. Interesting note too, I've seen these animals before but didn't realise they burrowed to hide their young. Good work.
Cheers,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-09-01 8:34]

My Mara!!!
Beautiful capture my friend of this nice baby rodent of my country.
Excellent POV with beautiful colors and good framing.
Thank you for sharing this 3 photos.
Ricardo

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-09-01 13:22]

Hello Alan,
Very nice capture.POV,details,colors,lighting,sharpness and pose of your cute model are wonderful.
TFS...:-)

Hi Alan,
Well done on the composition and details..Interesting pose. Mara's doin' a bit of scratchin' it seems?
Great shot.

Hi, Alan.
Lovely animal. Good exposure, composition and nice pose.

Hello Alan, funny animal here!
Nice compo, well managed.
Good info notes.

Andrea

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