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What the sources say

Long-Tailed ChinchillaChinchilla lanigera

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Long-Tailed Chinchilla profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 46 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Long-tailed chinchilla. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysAn Andean rodent with up to 60 hairs growing from one follicle.
The source saysup to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicleNote: tagline
The page saysRocky mountain slopes of the Andes in northern Chile, 3,000 to 5,000 meters up
The source saysThey live in rocky, mountainous areas from 9,800 to 16,400 feet (3,000 to 5,000 meters) in elevationNote: stats.habitat
The page saysRocky mountain slopes of the Andes in northern Chile
The source saysThis species of chinchilla is only found in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysMostly plants: seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, plus insects and eggs when it can get them
The source saysChinchillas are mostly herbivores. They eat a wide variety of vegetable matter including seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, as well as insects and eggs when they can get them.Note: stats.diet
The page saysFur with up to 60 hairs growing from one follicle
The source saysup to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicleNote: stats.superpower
The page sayswears a very soft, dense coat
The source saysTheir coat is very soft and dense
The page saysUp to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle
The source saysup to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle
The page saysEach hair usually has a black tip
The source sayseach hair usually has a black tip
The page saysthis thick fur keeps the animal warm high in the Andes
The source saysThis thick fur keeps them warm in the high elevations of the Andes.
The page saysChinchillas' teeth are dark orange.
The source saysChinchillas' teeth are dark orange.
The page saysA chinchilla has a body 9 to 14 inches (23 to 36 centimeters) long and a bushy tail of 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters).
The source saysChinchillas have 9 to 14 inch (23 to 36 centimeter) long bodies and 3 to 6 inch (7 to 15 centimeter) bushy tails.
The page saysFemales weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams), while males weigh only about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram).
The source saysFemales weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams) while males only weigh about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram).
The page saysIn the wild, chinchillas live about 10 years.
The source saysIn the wild chinchillas live about 10 years
The page saysIn human care they can live over 20 years.
The source saysthey can live over 20 years in human care
The page saysThis species is found only in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile.
The source saysThis species of chinchilla is only found in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile.
The page saysIt lives in rocky, mountainous areas from 9,800 to 16,400 feet (3,000 to 5,000 meters) in elevation, and dens in crevices and holes.
The source saysThey live in rocky, mountainous areas from 9,800 to 16,400 feet (3,000 to 5,000 meters) in elevation and den in crevices and holes.
The page saysChinchillas are nocturnal, meaning active at night.
The source saysChinchillas are nocturnal, or active at night.
The page saysThey are mostly herbivores.
The source saysChinchillas are mostly herbivores.
The page saysThey eat seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, plus insects and eggs when they can get them.
The source saysincluding seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, as well as insects and eggs when they can get them.
The page saysChinchillas live in colonies of a few individuals to hundreds.
The source saysChinchillas live in colonies consisting of a few individuals to hundreds.
The page saysFemales are the dominant sex and are very aggressive toward one another and toward males during estrus, yet serious fights rarely happen.
The source saysFemale chinchillas, the dominant sex, are very aggressive toward one another and toward males during estrus. Despite this aggressiveness, serious fights rarely happen.
The page saysAround 1900, Chile exported about 500,000 chinchilla skins each year.
The source saysAround 1900, Chile exported about 500,000 chinchilla skins each year.
The page saysthe body runs 23 to 36 centimeters, plus 7 to 15 centimeters of bushy tail
The source saysChinchillas have 9 to 14 inch (23 to 36 centimeter) long bodies and 3 to 6 inch (7 to 15 centimeter) bushy tails.Note: faq 1
The page saysFemales reach up to 800 grams, and males about half a kilogram.
The source saysFemales weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams) while males only weigh about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram).Note: faq 1
The page saysLitters hold one to six young, after a gestation of about four months.
The source saysAfter a four-month gestation period they give birth to litters of one to six young.
The page saysMost litters include two or three babies, which are born well developed and nurse until they are 6 to 8 weeks old.
The source saysMost litters include two or three babies, which are born well developed. They nurse until they are 6 to 8 weeks old.
The page saysFor their dense, soft fur, which was prized in fashion.
The source saysChinchillas have been hunted mercilessly for their dense, soft fur, which has been prized in fashion.
The page saysWell over 100 pelts were needed for a single fur coat.
The source saysWell over 100 chinchilla pelts are needed for a single fur coat.
The page saysProtective legislation has been in place since 1929, but it was not properly enforced until 1983.
The source saysProtective legislation has been in place since 1929, but was not properly enforced until 1983.
The page saysUp to 60 hairs from one follicle
The source saysup to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicleNote: heading
The page saysUp to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle on a long-tailed chinchilla
The source saysup to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicleNote: vibe.reason
The page saysa very soft, dense coat
The source saysTheir coat is very soft and denseNote: vibe.reason
The page saysweightKg: 0.65
The source saysFemales weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams) while males only weigh about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram).Note: midpoint of the female and male figures; both are Light

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

Chinchilla lanigera. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

The page saysWhile eating, a chinchilla sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws.
The source saysWhile eating, C. lanigera sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws.

Source
03

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Chinchilla. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysIf a chinchilla is threatened or under attack, it may do a "fur slip" and release clumps of fur, leaving a potential predator empty handed.
The source saysIf a chinchilla is threatened or under attack, it may do a “fur slip” and release clumps of fur, leaving a potential predator empty handed.
The page saysWith a coat this dense and no way to pant or sweat, chinchillas can easily overheat in human care.
The source saysWith a dense fur coat and being unable to pant or sweat, chinchillas can easily overheat in human care.
The page saysTheir only cooling mechanism is to pump blood through their large ears, which have less hair.
The source saysIts only cooling mechanism is to pump blood through its large ears, which have less hair.
The page saysThe most common food is the perennial Chilean needlegrass, and cactus is likely its main source of water.
The source saysits most common food being the perennial Chilean needlegrass, but it consumes ferns, a succulent bromeliad, and cactus, which is likely its main source of water.Note: SDZWA says this of the Chilean chinchilla Chinchilla lanigera
The page saysChinchillas can jump across a six-foot crevice
The source sayscan jump across a six-foot crevice
The page saysthey take regular dust baths to keep their coats healthy
The source saysTo maintain a healthy coat, chinchillas take dust baths regularly
The page saysmining is a significant threat to this once widespread rodent
The source saysMining operations are a significant threat to this once widespread rodent.
The page saysA coat that nearly doomed them
The source saysBy the early 1900s, chinchillas were a whisker away from becoming extinct.Note: heading

Source
04

Jiménez, Deane, Salazar-Bravo & Hurtado Materon 2025

Jiménez, Deane, Salazar-Bravo & Hurtado Materon (2025). Chinchilla laniger. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T4652A271314552.

The page saysEndangered
The source saysChinchilla laniger is listed as Endangered under criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii).Note: stats.conservationStatus. 2025 Global assessment, read in Chrome 2026-10-12; replaces the 2016 reference and the secondhand San Diego Zoo line. GBIF has no category for the accepted name (C. lanigera).
The page saysThe IUCN, which files the species as Chinchilla laniger
The source saysChinchilla laniger has most recently been assessed
The page saysrated it Endangered
The source saysChinchilla laniger is listed as Endangered under criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii).
The page saysin its 2025 global assessment
The source sayshas most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2025Note: scope Global per the citation block

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.