Though domesticated and found in homes around the world, in the wild chinchillas are dangerously close to extinction. The two extant species of this adorable rodent can be found in very limited numbers across their Andes habitats, though they are now primarily concentrated in Chile. Hunted relentlessly for their silky soft fur (the second-thickest of any mammal), they were thought extinct in the wild until a small population was discovered in the mid-1970s. The fight is now on to bring the wild chinchilla back from the brink.

Class: Mammalia

Territory: Andes mountains, South America

Diet: Grasses, leaves and twigs

Lifespan: 10 years

Adult weight: Short-tailed: 1.1-1.4kg (2.4-3lb)

Long-tailed: 370g-490g (13-1702)