At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Sources disagree — IUCN's 2016 global assessment says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The short-tailed chinchilla is a high-Andean rodent prized for its remarkably dense, soft fur, and the wild ancestor (with its relative) of the pet chinchilla. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Wild populations were devastated by the historical fur trade.
Range & habitat
High Andes of South America (parts of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru).
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Historical hunting for its extremely soft fur
- A tiny, fragmented population
- Habitat degradation
Why it matters
The wild forebear of the familiar pet chinchilla, the short-tailed chinchilla shows how the fur trade can drive a wild animal to the edge even as its domesticated form thrives.
Sources
Sources for Short-tailed Chinchilla
- IUCN Red List — look up Short-tailed Chinchilla (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as a pet chinchilla?
Pet chinchillas descend from wild chinchillas, but the wild short-tailed chinchilla is a distinct, critically endangered animal in the high Andes — very different in status from the common pet form.
Why is the short-tailed chinchilla Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite the legacy of intense hunting for its exceptionally soft fur, a tiny fragmented population, and habitat degradation. See the IUCN Red List.