Chinchillas are primarily nocturnal animals with activity peaking at dusk and dawn. During the day they rest in holes and crevices among rocks, emerging at dusk to forage through the night (6). Their diet is omnivorous, and though they feed primarily on seeds and grass, they also eat a variety of other vegetation, insects and bird eggs (2). While eating, chinchillas sit upright on their hind legs and hold the food in their front paws (6). These rodents are social animals and live in colonies of up to 100 individuals (2). Females are mostly monogamous and bear two litters per year, with two to three young per litter (6). The gestation period is 111 days, which, for a small mammal, is a relatively long period. The young are well developed at birth (2) (5), weighing up to 35 grams. They are fully furred and their eyes are open at birth. As the young are relatively advanced, the female does not need to invest much parental care, and weans them after only 6-8 weeks. This allows the female to mate again and bear another litter (6). The lifespan in the wild is around 10 years, though domesticated chinchillas may live for up to 20 years (5) (6).

The long-tailed chinchilla is well known for being a popular pet, but it in its native land of Chile its population is declining due to hunting for its fur, and its future is uncertain (4). It has an attractive appearance with a broad head, fairly large ears and large black eyes (2). Its body is small, with a bushy tail, and is covered in dense, soft fur to insulate it in the cold barren mountainous regions where it lives (5) (6). It's body is slender with a tail measuring up to a third the size of its body, and long, strong hind legs, which enable it to run and jump agilely (5). The dorsal side is coloured bluish, pearl or brownish grey, and the belly is a yellowish white colour. Each hair usually has a black tip, and as many as 60 hairs grow out of one follicle (2).

This species occurs from northern Chile along the foothills of the Andes and coastal mountains south to Talca (Woods and Kilpatrick 2005). It has been suggested that its range extends into Argentina and Salta province (Chebez 1994), but this is to be confirmed.

Chinchilla lanigera is currently found only in the mountains of northern Chile (Nowak 1991).

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

This species is currently restricted to the mountains of northern Chile (6).

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. The ventral side is usually bluish, pearl, or brownish gray, and the belly is yellowish-white. Its tail is furry with coarse hairs on the dorsal surface.

The head is broad and the external ears are large. Chinchillas have large, black eyes with a vertical split pupil, vestigial cheek pouches, and incisors with colored enamel. Both the forefoot and hindfoot have four digits with stiff bristles surrounding the weak claws.

(Nowak 1991, Grzimek 1975)

Range mass: 0.5 to 0.8 kg.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

Average basal metabolic rate: 1.31 W.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

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.

(Nowak 1991, Burton 1987)

Terrestrial Biomes: mountains

Inhabits barren, arid areas of mountains at elevations of 3,000-5,000 meters (2).

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. While eating, C. 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)

Animal Foods: eggs; insects

Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 10.0 years.

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 11.3 years.

Maximum longevity: 17.2 years (captivity) Observations: It has been reported that these animals have bred at 15 years of age and some have lived for more than 20 years in captivity (Ronald Nowak 1999), which is possible but unconfirmed. Record longevity in captivity is 17.2 years (Richard Weigl 2005).

Female chinchillas are mostly monogamous. The breeding season occurs between November and May in the Northern Hemisphere and between May and November in the Southern Hemisphere. Females normally have two litters per year, with two to three young per litter.

Gestation of C. 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. Lactation lasts for 6-8 weeks and sexual maturity is attained after 8 months.

Life span in the wild of C. lanigera is roughly 10 years, but some domesticated chinchillas have lived for over 20 years.

(Nowak 1991, Grzimek 1975)

Range number of offspring: 1 to 6.

Range gestation period: 105 to 115 days.

Average gestation period: 111 days.

Average weaning age: 60 days.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Average birth mass: 35 g.

Average number of offspring: 2.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)

Sex: male: 240 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)

Sex: female: 240 days.

Parental Investment: precocial

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

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. Populations of C. lanigera have also dwindled because of burning and harvesting of the algarobilla shrub in the lower altitudes. Fewer than 10,000 C. lanigera are thought to have survived in the wild, and attempts to reintroduce chinchillas into the wild have failed.

The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora lists all chinchilla species in Appendix 1, making international trade in the animals or their skins illegal among all the signer nations.

Today, many chinchillas are bred commercially.

(Nowak 1991, Jimenez 1995)

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: appendix i

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: critically endangered

Classified as Vulnerable (VU A1cd) on the IUCN Red List 2002 (1), and listed on Appendix I of CITES (3).

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

These small mammals have been hunted for their luxurious fur since the 1900s, when around 500,000 chinchilla skins were exported annually from Chile (2). At that time chinchilla populations were flourishing, but their pelts were the most valuable in the world, reaching up to $100,000 for one alone, and soon they faced extinction in the wild (5). There are currently an estimated 10,000 individuals left in the Chilean mountains (6) (7). More recently populations have also suffered due to habitat destruction by the burning and harvesting of the algarobilla shrub at lower altitudes (7).

Conservation Actions

The IUCN lists the chinchilla as a vulnerable species, requiring conservation measures to be taken (1), and CITES lists it on Appendix I, which prohibits international trade of the species (3). Chinchilla are protected by law in their natural habitat, but it is extremely hard to monitor hunting in the remote mountain ranges of the Andes, and illegal hunting does continue in some areas (6) (7). For the same reason, it is also difficult to monitor the population. Recent estimates suggest this species is becoming more isolated following habitat loss, and therefore less likely to be able to recover without human intervention. Reintroductions have not worked in the past, though breeding is still successful in captivity, and hundreds of chinchilla are bred commercially for the pet trade (2). It is hoped that conservation measures will be applied successfully to protect this species and bring it back from the brink of extinction in the wild (5).

Chinchillas have been hunted for human apparel since the early 1900s. Around 1900, an estimated 500,000 chinchilla skins were exported annually from Chile. Chinchilla pelt is considered by some to be the most valuable pelt in the world, and coats have sold as much as $100,000. International trade in wild chinchillas or their skins is now restricted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

(Nowak 1991, Jimenez 1995)

Positive Impacts: body parts are source of valuable material