Have you ever met a Viscacha rodent that looks like a rabbit

The Viscacha rodent looks a lot like a rabbit because of the elite evolution. They live in South America, Although it looks like a rabbit, it is not a rabbit. It is the name of two genera of the Chinchillidae family, Visachas or Visachas rodents.

They are of 5 species (Wikipedia), Their soft fur is long and dense, and the soles of the feet have fleshy pads. Four fingers with thick nails that they use to dig the soil.

The Viscacha has a long, bushy tail and long hindlimbs, short forelimbs. The tails of viscachas are not just for species determination. Wagging their tails also shows how they are feeling. When the rodent feels good, its tail is extended, And when they feel bad, their tails curl.

Mountain Viscacha

Cody H., CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

KINGDOM	Animalia
PHYLUM	Chordata
SUBPHYLUM	Vertebrata
CLASS	Mammalia
ORDER	Rodentia
FAMILY	Chinchillidae
GENUS	Lagidium
SPECIES	Lagidium viscacha

A new species, the mountain Viscacha is one of the 5 viscachas species. they live in the Andes Mountains from central Peru southward to Chile and Argentina, usually at altitudes between 13,000 and 16,000 feet.

Their ears are long and look a lot like rabbits.

• Weight: Up to 6 pounds.

• Size: Body Length of 30cm to 45cm.

• Body color: The fur on the upper parts is dark gray to brown, often with dark stripes on the bottom of the back; Underparts are white, yellow, or gray.

• Tail color: Black or reddish-brown.

Plains Viscacha:

Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

KINGDOM	Animalia
PHYLUM	Chordata
SUBPHYLUM	Vertebrata
CLASS	Mammalia
ORDER	Rodentia
FAMILY	Chinchillidae
GENUS	Lagidium
SPECIES	Lagidium viscacha

A large rodent is The plains viscacha. They live together with one or more males and many females. They are native to sparse grasslands in Argentina, Paraguay, and southeastern Bolivia at altitudes up to nearly 3,000 meters.

• Weight: Up to 4 pounds.

• Size: Body length 50cm to 60cm and tail length 20cm.

• Body-color: The upper parts vary from dark gray to pale brown and the underparts are white. Broad black and white stripes—including a mustache—mark the face.

Southern Viscacha

  

Alexandre Buisse (Nattfodd), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

KINGDOM	Animalia
PHYLUM	Chordata
SUBPHYLUM	Vertebrata
CLASS	Mammalia
ORDER	Rodentia
FAMILY	Chinchillidae
GENUS	Lagidium
SPECIES	Lagidium viscacha

The southern viscacha is a member of the Chinchilidae family. Found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It is a colonial animal that lives in small groups in rocky mountain areas. They live around rocks and crags where vegetation is rare. Its altitude ranges from about 700 to 5,100 m above sea level. 

They are very active during the day and in the evening, At this time they come out from under the ground to eat. South Viscacha do not go too far from the rocks, as they can quickly hide in a hole when in danger.

• Weight: Adult Viscacha weight is 4.50 pounds.

• Size: Full body size 39.6 cm.

• Color: The color of the upper parts is yellowish gray, pale underparts, and a black-tipped.

• Lifespan: 19 yrs.

Northern Viscacha

Nelson Mitchell Nelson e mitch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

KINGDOM	Animalia
PHYLUM	Chordata
SUBPHYLUM	Vertebrata
CLASS	Mammalia
ORDER	Rodentia
FAMILY	Chinchillidae
GENUS	Lagidium
SPECIES	Lagidium peruanum

The Northern Viscachas live at altitudes of 300 and 5000 meters above sea level. Northern Peru and Northern Chile are native to Northern Viscacha, Presence can also be noticed in the vicinity of Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. Most of the Northern Viscachas are where the trees are more, And the snow stays in such places.

Northern viscachas are herbivores animals that feed on grass, foliage, tree roots, and bark.

November and October are the breeding season for The viscacha. After 140 days of gestation, they give birth to a child.

• Weight: Adult Northern Viscacha weighs up to 1.98 pounds to 3.5 pounds.

• Size: Adult Northern Viscacha head to body size 45cm.

• Color: The northern Viscacha's upper surface is dark gray and lower altitudes to brown at higher elevations. And the lower surface of the body is cream or pale gray and the tip of the tail is reddish-brown or black.