Details
Lagidium viscacia
The southern viscacha is a herbivorous rodent of South American mountains and drylands. Crepuscular colonies live among rocks.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses Andean rocky slopes, dry hillsides, and desert-like highlands. Crevices and ledges provide resting and escape sites.
Body length is about 30-45 cm and weight about 1-3 kg. Long ears, a thick tail, soft fur, and strong hind legs suit jumping on rocks.
Active around dawn and dusk, it lives in colonies on rocky ground. By day it rests on rocks and retreats quickly into crevices when alarmed.
It is herbivorous, eating grasses, lichens, and shrub leaves. It selects sparse plants in dry highland habitats.
Young are born relatively developed and can move among rocks early. They grow in protected areas within the colony.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. As a rocky-slope herbivore, it contributes to dry mountain food webs.
