Chinchillidae – Chinchilla & viscacha
The family of chinchillas, the viscachas -rodents with dark eyes, velvety rounded ears, and plush, grayish fur
Chinchillas and mountain viscachas, both of which belong to this family, make their homes in rocky mountain environments, where they can quickly and deftly navigate over and between the boulders. They are all herbivores that gather in large groups, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. The members of this family are capable of bipedal jumping; however, they often use all four limbs when moving.
Unlike other rodents, males in this family help raise the youngsters if needed. And if a female is unable to nurse her own kits, another female may come to rescue and feed her young. Now, that’s being neighborly! They are mostly active soon after dawn and in the evening, while for the rest of the day, they usually stay underground in their hiding place.
