Pygmy hippopotamus occur. The common hippopotamus gives birth and mates only in the water, but pygmy hippos mate and give birth on both land and water. Young pygmy hippos can swim almost immediately. At birth, pygmy hippos weigh 4.5–6.2 kg (9.9–13.7 lb) with males weighing about 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) more than females. Pygmy hippos are fully weaned between six and eight months of age; before weaning they do not accompany their mother when she leaves the water to forage, but instead hide in the water by themselves. The mother returns to the hiding spot about three times a day and calls
Mara (mammal) Mara (mammal) The maras ("Dolichotis") are a genus of the cavy family of rodents. They are the sole extant representatives of the subfamily Dolichotinae. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina, but also live in Paraguay and elsewhere in South America. Maras are the fourth-largest rodent in the world, after capybaras, beavers, and porcupines, reaching about in height. Two species of maras are recognised, the Patagonian mara ("Dolichotis patagonum"), and the Chacoan mara ("Dolichotis salinicola"). "Dolichotis" means ‘long-earred’ (from ‘long’ + ‘ear’) in Ancient Greek. Maras have stocky bodies, three sharp-clawed digits on