The maras are a genus of the cavy family. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes. There are two species of maras recognised:
Patagonian Mara (Dolichotis patagonum)
Chacoan Mara (Dolichotis salinicola)
The former is often kept in zoos and is also known as "Patagonian cavy" or "Patagonian hare".