As of now, the capybara is the single most-requested animal on the meta-wishlist, and rightfully so; not only are they adorable, but they're extremely common in zoos and pair well in mixed exhibits with animals like tapirs, monkeys, and turtles/tortoises. Its close relative and one of my personal favorites, however, has gotten a lot less (but still a good amount of) love--the Patagonian mara.
It's commonly argued that South America is underrepresented in Planet Zoo compared to its sheer biodiversity (and the number of South American animals with high captive presence), but the southern half of the continent, outside of the rainforest, has nothing at all other than the llama (a domestic animal) and the yellow anaconda (an exhibit animal). The Patagonian mara, as a unique-looking animal (deer meets rabbit meets capybara), and one which is also very common in zoos (in fact, with 236 EU institutions holding it, it's more numerous than the capybara) could fit the bill perfectly. Hopefully we see it in a future pack, whether a Latin America retread or a desert pack.
It's commonly argued that South America is underrepresented in Planet Zoo compared to its sheer biodiversity (and the number of South American animals with high captive presence), but the southern half of the continent, outside of the rainforest, has nothing at all other than the llama (a domestic animal) and the yellow anaconda (an exhibit animal). The Patagonian mara, as a unique-looking animal (deer meets rabbit meets capybara), and one which is also very common in zoos (in fact, with 236 EU institutions holding it, it's more numerous than the capybara) could fit the bill perfectly. Hopefully we see it in a future pack, whether a Latin America retread or a desert pack.
