North American viscacha (SciiFii)

A North American viscacha (Lagidium megapodum) is a species of viscacha that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across North America to help boost biodiversity. A North American viscacha has yellowish-grey upperparts, paler underparts, and a black-tipped, bushy tail. The body fur is long and soft, while that on the tail is coarse. The long, fur-covered ears have a white fringe and both the short front legs and longer hind legs have four digits on the feet. The soles of the feet have fleshy pads called "pallipes" and they can move about with agility over rocky surfaces. The weight of an adult North American viscacha is about 3 kg (6.6 lb). The North American viscacha does not hibernate and is mostly active soon after dawn and again in the evening. At these times, it emerges from its underground hiding place to feed on what plant material is available, which is mostly grasses and moss, and it also eats lichens. Part of the day is spent perched on a rock sunbathing, grooming, or resting. North American viscachas are a colonial species and do not venture far from rocks so that they can plunge underground if danger threatens. They use various calls to communicate with each other. Breeding starts in the beginning of Spring when mating takes place. The gestation period is about 130 days and a single precocial pup (or sometimes two) is born which has its eyes open and is fully clad in fur at birth. It suckles for about eight weeks, but is able to supplement the milk with solid food within hours of its birth. The average lifespan of the North American viscacha is around 15 years, but some individuals have been known to live for 19 years in captivity. The conservation status of the North American viscacha is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the North American viscacha's wide range and its tolerance to most of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii