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Mountain viscacha - LAGIDIUM VISCACCIA
Possibly Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Viscacha": "Viscacha" is from the native South American Quechua word "wicacha," for the animal.
Location: The Andes.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Mountainous regions with many rocks and little vegetation.
Description: The coat is dense soft and woolly, and is tawny all over except for the paws and belly, which are paler. The ears are large and the whiskers are quite long. Both the hind and front feet have four toes, and the legs are somewhat frail. The soles of the feet are hairless. Length of head and body is up to sixteen inches, with the tail an additional twelve inches. It weighs a little over three pounds.
Behavior: The mountain viscacha lives in large colonies on rocky mountainsides, finding hideaways in the clefts in rocks. It is very agile, and moves with ease in otherwise inaccessible terrain. It is diurnal and feeds on grass and plants. Should some threat or danger approach while it is feeding or playing near its burrow, males acting as sentries make a distinctive call to alert their group members.
Reproduction: Mating takes place in October or November and after a period of about three months, the female gives birth to a single young. The female has four nipples.
Note: One of the largest of the chinchillas, the mountain viscacha has been extensively hunted for its fur, even though it is not as highly prized as that of other chinchillas.
Go to the Rodents Page to learn more about all the gnawing animals.
Go to the Plains Viscacha for
the only other Viscacha listed in America Zoo.
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