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Status: Good, but declining. Diet in wild: grasses and other plants. Life span in wild: 10 years. Weight: 30-40 pounds. up to 18 inches tall. Native habitat: Arid grasslands of Argentina, South America.
Black Pine Animal Park 1426 W. 300 N. P.O. Box 02 Albion, IN 46701 (260) 636-7383
©2008
Professional Animal Retirement Center, Inc.
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Patagonian Cavy The Patagonian cavy, also known as a "mara", is a rodent. They are closely related to the capybara and are native to South America.
Cavies are very fast. They can
run up to 35 miles per hour to escape predators, can jump up to six feet Cavies are most active during the day, and are still alert at night - a defensive mechanism developed because of the many predators who prey upon them. Their long ears not only help them hear well, they also serve to increase their body surface to help cool them in hot weather. |
The Animals
"Joey",
a female, became a resident of Black Pine after she was found wandering
into someone's back yard, apparently an escaped or abandoned pet.
She is one of several cavies that have lived at the sanctuary over the
past few years. Cavies have become popular in the exotic pet trade,
despite the fact they require a specialized diet and can be difficult to
house. Cavies can live up to 14 years in captivity.
high,
and can dig and burrow. In the wild they often live in groups of as
many as 70 animals, and will mate for life. Due to the introduction
of European wild hares into their habitat, competition for food, cavy
populations are on the decline.