Barbados Wildlife Reserve Part II

This little fellow we saw running around in the reserve. I thought it was some kind of marsupial at first, but upon reflection I realized it was an uncommonly large and charming rodent.

I think it is a mara (not native to the Caribbean). Like the capybara, the mara is a large South American rodent and a close relative of the guinea pig. It is also sometimes called a Patagonian cavy or a Pampas hare.

Anyway, I had never seen one before visiting the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. Perhaps I ought to watch Planet Earth or The Life of Mammals again to see if I can learn something about them.