AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Zoo family keeps growing. This week, they welcomed two Patagonian maras to its crew — a new species at the zoo. 

There are two females, Bonita and Bettina, who now call their habitat in the zoo's Legends of the Wild area home. They will reside in the former capybara habitat. 

They are both 6-years-old and are sisters, the zoo said. They were born on May 13, 2017 at the Alexandria Zoological Park in Louisiana. They then went to the Toledo Zoo, and moved to the Akron Zoo from there. 

The zoo said the Patagonian mara is one of the largest rodent species that's native to Patagonia, a region of South America. They have short gray-red fur, long ears, short front legs for digging and long back legs. They are around 27.5 inches in length, with their tail being as long as 2 inches, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Biological Institute. In human care, they can live up to 14 years. In the wild, their lifespan isn't known. 

They prefer a good amount of open space, especially in arid grasslands and brush. They move in different ways, such as walking, hoping like a rabbit or galloping. They are herbivores, mostly eating different types of grass. They also consume cactuses, seeds, fruits and more.

According to the IUCN Red List, the species was last assessed in March 16 and was deemed as near threatened. It also noted at the time that its population was decreasing.