Chinchilla chinchilla

The short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla; formerly C. brevicaudata)—also called the Bolivian, Peruvian, or royal chinchilla—is an endangered species of South American rodent, and one of two species in the genus Chinchilla. Their original native range extended throughout the Andes Mountains of Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. These animals were exploited for their luxurious fur, causing their numbers in the wild to dwindle. The other species of chinchilla is also endangered; C. lanigera, or the long-tailed chinchilla, is the wild ancestor of the domestic chinchilla, which is commonly raised as a pocket pet throughout the world. Short-tailed chinchillas’ bodies measure between 28 to 49 centimetres (11 to 19 in) long and weigh around 38 to 50 ounces (1,100 to 1,400 g). By comparison, wild long-tailed chinchillas have body lengths up to 26 cm (10 in). Male long-tailed chinchillas weigh 13.0–17.4 ounces (up to 1.09 pounds (0.49 kg)) and females weigh 13.4–15.9 ounces (up to 0.99 pounds (0.45 kg)). Domesticated animals are larger: the female weighs up to 800 g (28 oz) and males up to 600 g (21 oz). They have short front legs and long, powerful hind legs that aid in climbing and jumping. Short-tailed chinchillas have thicker necks and shoulders, and have shorter tails than their long-tailed relatives by a little over one inch (up to 100 mm (3.9 in) compared to 130 mm (5.1 in)). Domestic chinchillas have tails measuring 3 to 6 inches long.