What is a Chinchilla?
Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Tue, Jun 03, 2008 @ 12:29 AM
A lot of people ask me exactly what a chinchilla is, so I fugured it would be helpful if we were all on the same page...so here we go, a bit a chinchilla history, facts and culture.
Chinchilla's are native to or come from high up in the Andes Mountains in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Argenia.
They are scientifically classified as members of the order Rodentia, and are most closely related to squirrels, guinea pigs, mice, hamsters, and gerbil.
There are actually 2 species of Chinchilla; Chinchilla Brevicaudata and Chinchilla Lanigera. Both chinchilla species of chinchillla are very similar, and chances are your pet chinchilla is part of the Lanigera species, as this is by far the most common. The Brevicaudata Chinchilla species is stokier with a thicker neck and shoulders, and a shorter ears and tail and flatter nose. This species is currently facing extension, but can be found in the wild. The more common pet chinchilla is the Chinchilla Lanigera. The Chinchilla Lanigera is very fluffy or furry with light grey hair and a sleeker look with pointed narrower features and longer ears. Their fur is very soft and silky which is wht brought about the demand of chinchill fur in the ealry 1900's. According to Animal Planet's Chinchillas book between 1840 and 1916 at least 7 million pelts (roughly 21 million chinchillas) were exported from Chile alone, and by the 1920's wild chinchillas were all but extinct.
In 1918 M.F. Chapman, mining engineer from California purchased a chinchilla as a pet and became determined to establish his own chinchilla herd. He applied to the Chilean governement for permission to capture and transport several chinchillas to the United States. Though the Chilean Governement was reluctant, due to near extension of the chinchilla population, Chapman persisted and was eventually granted approval.
Chapman took a group of 23 men, and they were only able to retreive a total of 11 acceptable chinchillas in 3 years, due to the fur demands extreme decline on the chinchilla population. Over a 12 month period Chapman and his team gradually brought their 11 chinchillas down the 12,000 foot trip from their home in the Andes Montain. They took extra care to cool the cages with blocks of ice and shade their small herd from direct sunlight. The adventure was a huge success! All 11 Chinchilla's not only survived, they also multiplied! One healthy kit was born on the way down. Chapman's adventure is believed to be the foundtion that laid the ground for chinchilla pet owners. And if you think Chicnhillas are pricey now, you are lucky you were not trying to buy a chinchilla in the 1920's when they were so rare that Chapmn sold a breeding pair for $3,200! Below is a great video that further explores chinchilla basics. What is a Chinchilla?