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title: "What the sources say about the Long-Tailed Chinchilla | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "46 claims from the Long-Tailed Chinchilla profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Long-Tailed Chinchilla (*Chinchilla lanigera*)

> 46 claims from the Long-Tailed Chinchilla profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Long-Tailed Chinchilla](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/long-tailed-chinchilla/)

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

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/long-tailed-chinchilla

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| An Andean rodent with up to 60 hairs growing from one follicle. | up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle (note: tagline) |
| Rocky mountain slopes of the Andes in northern Chile, 3,000 to 5,000 meters up | They live in rocky, mountainous areas from 9,800 to 16,400 feet (3,000 to 5,000 meters) in elevation (note: stats.habitat) |
| Rocky mountain slopes of the Andes in northern Chile | This species of chinchilla is only found in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. (note: stats.habitat) |
| Mostly plants: seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, plus insects and eggs when it can get them | Chinchillas 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) |
| Fur with up to 60 hairs growing from one follicle | up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle (note: stats.superpower) |
| wears a very soft, dense coat | Their coat is very soft and dense |
| Up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle | up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle |
| Each hair usually has a black tip | each hair usually has a black tip |
| this thick fur keeps the animal warm high in the Andes | This thick fur keeps them warm in the high elevations of the Andes. |
| Chinchillas' teeth are dark orange. | Chinchillas' teeth are dark orange. |
| A 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). | Chinchillas have 9 to 14 inch (23 to 36 centimeter) long bodies and 3 to 6 inch (7 to 15 centimeter) bushy tails. |
| Females weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams), while males weigh only about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram). | Females weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams) while males only weigh about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram). |
| In the wild, chinchillas live about 10 years. | In the wild chinchillas live about 10 years |
| In human care they can live over 20 years. | they can live over 20 years in human care |
| This species is found only in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. | This species of chinchilla is only found in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. |
| It 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. | They 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. |
| Chinchillas are nocturnal, meaning active at night. | Chinchillas are nocturnal, or active at night. |
| They are mostly herbivores. | Chinchillas are mostly herbivores. |
| They eat seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, plus insects and eggs when they can get them. | including seeds, grass, leaves, roots, lichen and mosses, as well as insects and eggs when they can get them. |
| Chinchillas live in colonies of a few individuals to hundreds. | Chinchillas live in colonies consisting of a few individuals to hundreds. |
| Females are the dominant sex and are very aggressive toward one another and toward males during estrus, yet serious fights rarely happen. | Female chinchillas, the dominant sex, are very aggressive toward one another and toward males during estrus. Despite this aggressiveness, serious fights rarely happen. |
| Around 1900, Chile exported about 500,000 chinchilla skins each year. | Around 1900, Chile exported about 500,000 chinchilla skins each year. |
| the body runs 23 to 36 centimeters, plus 7 to 15 centimeters of bushy tail | Chinchillas 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) |
| Females reach up to 800 grams, and males about half a kilogram. | Females weigh up to 1.76 pounds (800 grams) while males only weigh about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram). (note: faq 1) |
| Litters hold one to six young, after a gestation of about four months. | After a four-month gestation period they give birth to litters of one to six young. |
| Most litters include two or three babies, which are born well developed and nurse until they are 6 to 8 weeks old. | Most litters include two or three babies, which are born well developed. They nurse until they are 6 to 8 weeks old. |
| For their dense, soft fur, which was prized in fashion. | Chinchillas have been hunted mercilessly for their dense, soft fur, which has been prized in fashion. |
| Well over 100 pelts were needed for a single fur coat. | Well over 100 chinchilla pelts are needed for a single fur coat. |
| Protective legislation has been in place since 1929, but it was not properly enforced until 1983. | Protective legislation has been in place since 1929, but was not properly enforced until 1983. |
| Up to 60 hairs from one follicle | up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle (note: heading) |
| Up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle on a long-tailed chinchilla | up to 60 hairs can grow out of one follicle (note: vibe.reason) |
| a very soft, dense coat | Their coat is very soft and dense (note: vibe.reason) |
| weightKg: 0.65 | Females 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) |

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

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| While eating, a chinchilla sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws. | While eating, C. lanigera sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws. |

## Chinchilla. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/chinchilla

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| If a chinchilla is threatened or under attack, it may do a "fur slip" and release clumps of fur, leaving a potential predator empty handed. | If a chinchilla is threatened or under attack, it may do a “fur slip” and release clumps of fur, leaving a potential predator empty handed. |
| With a coat this dense and no way to pant or sweat, chinchillas can easily overheat in human care. | With a dense fur coat and being unable to pant or sweat, chinchillas can easily overheat in human care. |
| Their only cooling mechanism is to pump blood through their large ears, which have less hair. | Its only cooling mechanism is to pump blood through its large ears, which have less hair. |
| The most common food is the perennial Chilean needlegrass, and cactus is likely its main source of water. | its 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) |
| Chinchillas can jump across a six-foot crevice | can jump across a six-foot crevice |
| they take regular dust baths to keep their coats healthy | To maintain a healthy coat, chinchillas take dust baths regularly |
| mining is a significant threat to this once widespread rodent | Mining operations are a significant threat to this once widespread rodent. |
| A coat that nearly doomed them | By the early 1900s, chinchillas were a whisker away from becoming extinct. (note: heading) |

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

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2025-2.rlts.t4652a271314552.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Endangered | Chinchilla 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 IUCN, which files the species as Chinchilla laniger | Chinchilla laniger has most recently been assessed |
| rated it Endangered | Chinchilla laniger is listed as Endangered under criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii). |
| in its 2025 global assessment | has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2025 (note: scope Global per the citation block) |