LAKEWOOD, Colo. — An odd-looking animal not native to Colorado has been reported in Bear Creek Lake Park, and officials are now planning what’s next for the critter.
Both Amber Thill, operations manager for the City of Lakewood’s Community Resources Department, and Kara Van Hoose with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said their departments received multiple reports about the animal from both rangers and park visitors.
Submitted to Denver7 with request for no courtesy line They believe the animal is a Patagonian mara, which are native to central and southern Argentina, and are sometimes called Patagonian cavies or Patagonian hares, according to Zoo Atlanta , which houses two of the animals.
They resemble capybaras, which is one of their closest relatives, and are not harmful to people.
It’s not clear if the park is currently home to one Patagonian mara or multiple, Van Hoose said.
Hill said based on visitor-submitted video, one of the — or the sole — Patagonian maras in the park was most likely a pet, as it did not seem afraid of people. However, people should not approach the animal and if it comes toward a person, they should move away.