Viscacha

South America · rodents · look-alikes

Rodents, not rabbits. Even though viscachas look like rabbits with their long ears and legs, they're actually rodents closely related to chinchillas. Both animals belong to the same family, Chinchillidae.

Rock-dwelling diggers. Viscachas live in rocky areas of the Andes mountains and other mountainous regions of South America. They dig burrows and live in groups among the rocks and crevices.

Night-time friends. These furry creatures are mostly nocturnal, which means they come out to search for food at night when it's cooler and safer from predators.

Huge listening ears. Viscachas have large, upright ears that help them hear danger approaching while they're out foraging for grasses, roots, and other plants.

Convergent evolution copycat. Viscachas are a perfect example of convergent evolution, meaning they evolved to look and act like rabbits even though they're from completely different animal families.