Chinchilla

Chinchillas are two species of crepuscular rodents that are slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels. They are native to the Andes mountains in South America[3] and live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile.[4] Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae.
The chinchilla has the second-densest fur of any land mammal, exceeded only by the sea otter,[5] and is named after the Chincha people of the Andes, who once wore its dense, velvet-like fur.[6] By the end of the 19th century, chinchillas had become quite rare after being hunted for their ultra-soft fur.[7] Most chinchillas currently used by the fur industry for clothing and other accessories are farm-raised.[8] Chinchillas are sometimes kept as pets, and may be considered a type of pocket pet.
Category:Animals
Category:Creatures
Category:Mammals