A chinchilla is a small, soft-furred rodent native to the Andes Mountains of South America. Chinchillas have incredibly dense, silky fur: where you might have one hair growing from each follicle, a chinchilla has 60 or more. This ultra-thick coat helps keep them warm in the cold mountain air where they live in the wild at elevations of 10,000 feet or higher.

These gentle creatures are larger than a hamster but smaller than a rabbit, with big ears, long whiskers, and bushy tails. In the wild, chinchillas live in burrows and rocky crevices, coming out at dawn and dusk to eat plants, seeds, and sometimes insects. They're incredibly acrobatic, able to jump six feet straight up.

Many people keep chinchillas as pets. They're playful and can live 15-20 years with proper care. Unlike many animals, chinchillas shouldn't get wet: their thick fur takes too long to dry and can grow harmful mold. Instead, they clean themselves by rolling in special dust, which absorbs oils from their fur. Watching a chinchilla take a dust bath is like watching a tiny tornado of happy fluff.

Unfortunately, chinchillas were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 1900s because their luxurious fur was so valuable. Today, wild chinchillas are endangered and protected by law.