| Northern viscacha | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Chinchillidae |
| Genus: | Lagidium |
| Species: | L. peruanum |
| Binomial name | |
| Lagidium peruanum Meyen, 1833 | |
The northern viscacha (Lagidium peruanum) is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae. [2] It is known from Peru and Chile, at elevations from 300 to 5000 m, and may also be present in Bolivia. [1]
The northern viscacha grows to a head and body length of some 300 to 450 mm (12 to 18 in) with a bushy tail nearly as long which can be curled in a coil. The adult weight is between 900 and 1,600 g (32 and 56 oz). Its long ears are furry and its body fur is dense and soft, but the tail has coarser hairs. The dorsal (upper) surface ranges from dark grey at lower altitudes to brown at higher elevations. The ventral (under) surface is cream or pale grey and the tip of the tail is reddish-brown or black. [3] The northern viscacha has been observed leaping over six feet and can swim when necessary. [4]
The northern viscacha is native to central and southern Peru and northern Chile, and may also be present in the area around Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. Its altitude range extends from 300 to 5,000 m (980 to 16,400 ft) above sea level. It makes its home in crevices in the rock and is found in various habitats where suitable rocky outcrops are found. [1] Most populations occur between the tree line and the snow line, but the distribution is patchy with the animal being common in some localities and absent in others even though the habitat seems equally suitable. [3]
The northern viscacha is a herbivore and feeds on a variety of plant material, including grasses, roots, and seeds. [5] Breeding usually takes place during October and November. A litter usually consists of a single pup born after a gestation period around 140 days. The young is weaned when about 8 weeks old. [1]
It is preyed on by the Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobitus), the colocolo (Leopardus colocolo), and the culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) in high-altitude desert regions. [6] The northern viscacha is more often found on larger, steeper portions of cliffs. This preference is probably driven by a need to avoid predators, as land-based carnivores are more easily evaded on a steep slope. It rarely ventures far from rocks, as these provide a means of escaping from both aerial and terrestrial predators. [7] The northern viscacha rarely has more than 50 yards of open ground between its colony and water. [4]
Northern viscachas are gregarious and communicate using warning whistles. Vicuna will search for threats upon hearing the northern viscacha's whistle. The bolivian big-eared mouse will sun and feed alongside northern viscachas on occasion. [4]
The northern viscacha is common within suitable habitat in its range. The population size is relatively stable, and although it is hunted locally for food, no other significant threats have been identified, so the IUCN lists the species as being of Least Concern in its Red List of Threatened Species. [1]
The family Chinchillidae is in the order Rodentia and consists of the chinchillas, the viscachas, and their fossil relatives. This family is restricted to southern and western South America, mostly living in mountainous regions of the Andes but one species living on plains. They are medium to large-sized rodents, weighing from 800 g (28 oz) to 8 kg (18 lb), with strong hind legs and large ears and a bushy tail. All species have thick, soft fur, which is considered valuable in some cultures.
Viscacha or vizcacha are rare rodents of two genera in the family Chinchillidae. They are native to South America and convergently resemble rabbits.
The kodkod, also called guiña, is the smallest felid species native to the Americas. It lives primarily in central and southern Chile, as well as marginally in adjoining areas of Argentina. Since 2002, it has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List as the total population may be less than 10,000 mature individuals; it is threatened by persecution, and loss of habitat and prey base.
The Andean mountain cat is a small wild cat native to the high Andes that has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,500 individuals are thought to exist in the wild. It is traditionally considered a sacred animal by indigenous Aymara and Quechua people.
The spectacled bear, also known as the South American bear, Andean bear, Andean short-faced bear or mountain bear and locally as jukumari, ukumari (Quechua) or ukuku, is a species of bear native to the Andes Mountains in northern and western South America. It is the only living species of bear native to South America, and the last remaining short-faced bear. Its closest relatives are the extinct Tremarctos floridanus, and the giant short-faced bears, which became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene around 12,000 years ago. The diet of the spectacled bear is mostly herbivorous, but it occasionally engages in carnivorous behavior. The species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN because of habitat loss.
Hippocamelus is a genus of Cervidae, the deer family. It comprises two extant Andean and two fossil species. The living members are commonly known as the huemul, and the taruca, also known as northern huemul.
The Yungas is a bioregion of a narrow band of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from Peru and Bolivia, and extends into Northwest Argentina at the slope of the Andes pre-cordillera. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, the Yungas belong to the Neotropical realm; the climate is rainy, humid, and warm.
The Colombian weasel, also known as Don Felipe's weasel, is a very rare species of weasel only known with certainty from the departments of Huila and Cauca in Colombia and nearby northern Ecuador. Both its scientific and alternative common name honours the mammalogist Philip "Don Felipe" Hershkovitz.
The Pampas cat is a small wild cat native to South America. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List as habitat conversion and destruction may cause the population to decline in the future.
The short-tailed chinchilla is a small rodent part of the Chinchillidae family and is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN. Originating in South America, the chinchilla is part of the genus Chinchilla, which is separated into two species: the long-tailed chinchilla and the short-tailed chinchilla. Although the short-tailed chinchilla used to be found in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia, the geographical distribution of the species has since shifted. Today, the species remains extant in the Andes mountains of northern Chile, but small populations have been found in southern Bolivia.
The mountain parakeet, also known as the golden-fronted parakeet, is a species of parrot, one of two in the genus Psilopsiagon within the family Psittacidae. It is found in the Puna grassland. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Four subspecies are recognised.
Lagidium is a genus of rodents in the family Chinchillidae.
The southern viscacha is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It is a colonial animal living in small groups in rocky mountain areas. It has long ears and hind legs and resembles a rabbit in appearance apart from its long, bushy tail, but is not a lagomorph.
Wolffsohn's viscacha, locally known as chinchillón anaranjado, is a rare species of rodent in the family Chinchillidae. This species occurs in southwestern Argentina and adjacent Chile. It occurs up to about 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level. It is found in rocky outcrops in mountainous areas.
The plains viscacha or plains vizcacha is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae. It is the only living species within the genus Lagostomus. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The plains viscacha is the largest species in its family. They construct elaborate burrows that house successive colonies for decades.
The plains viscacha rat, plains vizcacha rat, red viscacha rat, or red vizcacha rat is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae native to Argentina. It is one of three species in the genus Tympanoctomys.
Lagidium ahuacaense is a rodent in the mountain viscacha genus (Lagidium) that occurs in southern Ecuador. First observed in 2005 and formally described in 2009, it occurs more than 500 km (310 mi) north of the nearest previously known population of mountain viscachas in central Peru. Only a single population is known, found on rocky habitats on Cerro El Ahuaca, an isolated granite mountain in southern Ecuador, and as few as several dozen individuals remain. The species is threatened by fires and grazing cattle, and the discoverers recommended its conservation status be assessed as critically endangered.
