LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Wildlife officials said on Wednesday they are still searching for a South American rodent that was spotted at a Lakewood park on Monday.
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 officers will be tasked with locating, trapping and finding a new home for the animal, a Lakewood spokesperson said. A CPW spokesperson said the mara still had not been trapped as of Wednesday afternoon.
Denver Zoo reports Patagonian maras are small -- only about two or two-and-a-half feet tall.
"They are a larger species of rodent, even though they've got ears that are pretty long like a rabbit and legs that look almost like a deer," said Kat Emanuel, Denver Zoo animal care specialist.
“Patagonian mara are a rodent species that are found primarily in Argentina, central and southern Argentina, especially the Patagonian region of Argentina," said Emily Insalaco, senior director of animal care at the Denver Zoo. “They’re actually a near-threatened species, which means they’re not endangered but they’re definitely in danger of going that direction. And that’s mainly because the places that they live are places like open grasslands and those temperate, arid areas which are also the places people like to be. And so, they’re in a little bit of competition for some of those same resources.”
So, why is there one on the loose in Lakewood?
"I don't think it walked all the way from Argentina," Insalaco said, laughing.
Both CPW and the Denver Zoo are getting reports of people spotting the mara at Bear Creek since Monday. Because so many people have seen it, Insalaco said this animal is used to humans and could have been someone's pet.
"It could be concerning. That kind of behavior, he's probably not used to keeping an eye out for a lot of dangers in his environment if this is the case. And so, it can be concerning for an animal that's out in the park. That's one of the reasons we're helping our partners in Colorado Parks and Wildlife," Insalaco said.
CPW is setting live traps in the park, just hoping to catch this runaway rodent.
"I helped set the trap. So, I crawled inside of the trap and put the lure in there as well," spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said. "We're using a combination of fruits and vegetables because that's what we've been told is the most attractive to it. They're herbivores."
Van Hoose said they're hopeful they can lure the little guy into a safer, more sheltered life through the sweet treats they've laid out.
If you see the Patagonian mara running around the park, CPW says keep your distance, don't feed the mara and don't try to take pictures or a selfie with it. Instead, call CPW or park rangers immediately so they can try to catch it.
Denver Zoo said what happens to the animal after it's captured isn't immediately clear.
“We don’t know because we don’t know anything about the animal itself. We don’t know its temperament. The main thing would be to get it somewhere safe and make sure it’s healthy and then we can go from there," Insalaco said.
CPW said the Patagonian mara is an exotic animal and is not allowed to be kept as a pet. If they're able to determine who kept the mara, an investigation will determine what happens next.
This is what it looked like when a Patagonian mara lived it up after a January 2021 snowstorm at Denver Zoo.
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