Chinchilla lanigera (Long-Tailed Chinchilla)

Chinchilla lanigera, the long-tailed chinchilla, is a rodent native to the dry mountains of northern Chile. In the wild it shelters among rocky crevices and is adapted to high, arid terrain with dense, soft fur, rounded ears, and a bushy tail. It is primarily active at dusk and at night, although it may emerge during the day to rest or move across rocks. Wild chinchillas feed mainly on grasses, seeds, and other vegetation.

Long-tailed chinchillas live in social colonies and communicate with calls, posture, and scent. Their powerful hind legs help them jump across uneven rock, while their front paws hold food. Females typically give birth to well-developed young after a gestation of about 111 days. Hunting for the fur trade caused severe declines, and protected wild populations remain limited in Chile. Photographed in Colombia.