Monday, August 28, 2006
Chinchilla II
Colonial, formerly found in groups of about 100 individuals. Earlier reports of monogamy probably erroneous. Relatively long gestation period (111 days) but still may produce two litters during the long summer season. Gives birth to two or three exceedingly precocial young weighing about 35 g. each. Lactation lasts between six and eight weeks. Both males and females become fertile at about eight months of age. Life span is 10 years in the wild, twice that in captivity.
Nocturnal (large eyes and long vibrissae). Dense fur indicates the depth of cold at the altitudes they inhabit. This fur has led to their extirpation. Feet adept at jumping, clinging and climbing over rocks.
As late as 1900 an estimated 500,000 skins were being exported annually from Chile. Shortly thereafter, however, chinchillas became rare and the skin price went higher. It is the most valuable fur of any in the world, considering its size and weight. Wild chinchilla coats have sold for $100,000, and that was years ago. Their descendants are bred commercially throughout the world. Reintroduction attempts have not been successful.
Bibliography
Nowak, Ronald and John Paradiso. 1983. Walker's Mammals of the World
Nocturnal (large eyes and long vibrissae). Dense fur indicates the depth of cold at the altitudes they inhabit. This fur has led to their extirpation. Feet adept at jumping, clinging and climbing over rocks.
As late as 1900 an estimated 500,000 skins were being exported annually from Chile. Shortly thereafter, however, chinchillas became rare and the skin price went higher. It is the most valuable fur of any in the world, considering its size and weight. Wild chinchilla coats have sold for $100,000, and that was years ago. Their descendants are bred commercially throughout the world. Reintroduction attempts have not been successful.
Bibliography
Nowak, Ronald and John Paradiso. 1983. Walker's Mammals of the World
# posted by saffron @ 9:43 AM 
