Without a question, chinchillas are beautiful and cute furry animals with large ears, a long tail and distinctive eyes. Do you know where they actually come from, what their name means and that we almost succeeded in nearly exterminating them before the domestication took place?
Chinchillas originally come from the south-American Andes, where they were one of the most widespread animals of these high mountains only less than 200 years ago. Their territory spread along the west coast over Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. Here, in their natural environment, they live at 1500 – 3000 meters above the sea level in large colonies consisting of 15 – 100 individuals, hiding in rock crevices or digging dens. Their name (Chinchilla) is a combination of the words Chin and Chile, which in translation means fur from Chile.
For their characteristically dense and fine fur – this is caused by the individual hair follicles growing a tuft of 40 to 50 hairs – the chinchillas were valued already in the Inka times. Then, however, Europeans got to America and in the 17th century, they started to export the chinchilla’s fur to Europe. Up to 30,000 chinchilla skins were exported from Peru and Chile annually. This hunt took them to the brink of extinction. Following attempts of chinchilla breeding in captivity fell through since the mountain and cold-loving animals used to dryness did not survive sails over the equator where humidity and hot weather reigned. At the beginning of the 20th century, chinchilla was even declared extinct.
But American engineer Matthias F. Chapman believed, that in remote regions of the Andes, some chinchillas could have survived, and after long five years, he managed to find one of the last surviving colonies with the help of a local Indian. Chapman caught 12 chinchillas (only 3 of them were female). He equipped himself with cool boxes for the transport of the animals, so apart from one animal, all of them survived the crossing of the equator, and in 1923, he saw the birth of the first young animals at his farm in California. Today, their blood is present in virtually all the bred chinchillas, while the remnants of the wild chinchillas were granted the deserved protection shortly after: in 1929, the first law for chinchilla protection was issued and the National reservation for chinchillas was established in Chile.
Today, chinchillas are frequently bred all around the world in large private farms. However, only several small colonies survive in the wild, therefore, people try to return them into their original territories. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been very successful.
According to some estimates, around 5-10 percent of all dogs can be partially or completely deaf. Apparently, dogs with white coats are more prone to deafness. Even though it does not affect only older dogs, it is not a topic that is often discussed....
Nowadays, it is common for town cats as well as village cats to be castrated. The reasons are understandable and people have fortunately moved away from the old-fashioned tradition of drowning kittens. But what to expect from castration, especially in...
It is said that a dog is a man's best friend Recent research therefore tends to focus on how dogs think and what they perceive during specific moments. The diversity of their thinking is based on the fact that dogs have gradually become involved in...
Fetching is a favourite activity for many dogs. Some dogs have it in their genes. Others must be shown how it is done before they start enjoying it. As with all other commands, positive motivation and rewarding are important. How to go about it?
The Czech Republic had the honour of taking on the host role and providing a venue for the World Dog Show organised for exhibitors, breeders and dog breed enthusiasts. It was agreed among the visitors that the event was successful. As a venue for the...
Do you find it hard to decide when there's so much to choose from? If you're like me, it's best to try out the harness first before you buy it for your four-legged friend. Today, the selection of dog harnesses is truly varied. There are harnesses for...
Autumn is here. And with it comes the flu season. Colds and other ailments associated with this time of the year do not only affect people, but also their four-legged friends. Especially widespread and highly dangerous in case of non-treatment is the...
Breed registry, pedigree, bonitation, bonitation card or bonitation commission, exterior, breeding certification - these are all terms that you will inevitably encounter if you want to have a 'certified' dog, namely a dog with a pedigree. What...
These little creatures, which we have adopted as full-fledged pets, the same as cats and dogs, are much more interesting than seems at first glance. What are the five peculiarities associated with the most numerous order of mammals, which every...
Gastric torsion is the nightmare of all dog owners. According to statistics, in three out of five cases gastric torsion happens at night. This is a very serious illness with a mortality rate of 30-40 percent. In order to prevent gastric torsion, it's...
The events of recent weeks have reaffirmed the importance of cynologists in rescue teams. The rescuers' four-legged partners help search not only in rubble after natural disasters but also track missing or injured persons in inaccessible terrain. Now...
How to give first aid to your pet? We often don't find out until something happens. Fortunately, there are more and more courses for complete laypersons. During these specialized seminars or webinars, owners of four-legged friends can find out the...
