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A Lakewood official said visitors and park rangers have reported seeing a Patagonian mara at Bear Creek Lake Park.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Wildlife officials said on Tuesday they are searching for a South American rodent that has been spotted at a Lakewood park.
A Patagonian mara was reported by park rangers, hikers and visitors at Bear Creek Lake Park, according to a Lakewood official.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers will be tasked with locating, trapping and finding a new home for the animal, a Lakewood spokesperson said.
Patagonian maras are about the size of large hare, generally weighing around 20 pounds, according to the National Zoo. Patagonian maras are herbivores and are not a threat to humans, unlike the Rabbit of Caerbannog.
Lakewood officials believe the mara was likely a pet because it is willingly approaching people.
CPW said Monday was the first day they received a call of the mara being seen.
Anyone visiting Bear Creek Lake Park who runs into the large rodent can call the park’s visitor’s center at 303-697-6159 to report its location.
The National Zoo lists the Patagonian maras species as “near threatened.”
This is what it looks like as a Patagonian mara lived it up after a January 2021 snow storm at Denver Zoo.
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