Chinchillas are either of two species of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. They live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae. They are also related to the chinchilla rat.
Chinchilla
Chinchilla habitat in the Andes mountains of Chile
A short-tailed chinchilla, classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN, in Chile in 2007
Chinchilla fur coat and accessories
In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal, vespertine/vespertinal, or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, where an animal is active during the hours of daylight and of darkness, respectively. Some crepuscular animals may also be active by moonlight or during an overcast day. Matutinal animals are active only before sunrise, and vespertine only after sunset.
A red fox at dusk
A domestic cat at low light
Fireflies at twilight, long exposure
Ocelots are active at night, especially during dawn and dusk.