Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) — species profile (taxonomy, geographic range, habitat, physical description, behavior, wild diet, reproduction, lifespan)
Authoritative first-hand species account (Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan). All bullet facts are verbatim from the cited source and C1-substring verified.
Geographic Range
- Chinchilla lanigera is currently found only in the mountains of northern Chile (Nowak 1991).
Habitat
- Chinchilla lanigera is found in the barren, arid areas of mountains at elevations of 3,000-5,000 meters.
- These animals den in crevices and holes among the rocks.
Physical Description
- Chinchilla lanigera has a head and body length of 225-380 mm, and a tail averaging 75-150 mm.
- The species is sexually dimorphic with the female weighing up to 800 g and the male only 500 g.
- The fur of members of this species is extremely dense and soft.
- Each hair usually has a black tip, and as many as 60 hairs grow out of one follicle.
Behavior
- Female chinchillas are the dominant sex and are very aggresive toward one another and toward males during estrus.
- Despite this aggresiveness, serious fighting in the wild is rare.
- Chinchilla lanigera express threats through growling, chattering their teeth, and urinating.
- Chinchillas are social animals and have been known to live in colonies of more than 100 individuals.
- They are primarily nocturnal animals with crepuscular activity peaks.
Food Habits (Wild Diet)
- Long-tailed chinchillas are primarily folivorous, feeding on many types of vegetation, but primarily on grass and seeds.
- They may also eat insects and bird eggs opportunistically.
- lanigera sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws.
- Domesticated chinchillas are fed alfalfa, hay, wheat, corn, oats, and commercial food pellets.
- (Nowak 1991, Grzimek 1975, Babinszki 1997) Primary Diet herbivore herbivore folivore folivore Animal Foods eggs insects Plant Foods leaves seeds, grains, and nuts
Reproduction
- Female chinchillas are mostly monogamous.
- Females normally have two litters per year, with two to three young per litter.
- lanigera lasts for 111 days, and the young are precocial or well developed at birth.
- The newborn chinchillas weigh up to 35 g, are fully furred, and have their eyes open.
Conservation Status
- IUCN lists Chinchilla lanigera as vulnerable.
- Chinchillas are now protected by law in their natural habitat, yet hunting of this animal for its fur continues in remote areas, which makes enforcement hard.
- lanigera have also dwindled because of burning and harvesting of the algarobilla shrub in the lower altitudes.