Viscacha – Wascaly Wabbit!

The Vizcacha (or Viscacha) is an unusual looking Rabbit looking Rat thing that hops around the Atacama desert, over and under rocks.

They usually occur at high altitudes, where the thin air starts playing tricks with your head.

Here’s a Vizcacha trying to escape the gaze of my camera.

If you visit Lauca National Park, (Parque Nacional Lauca) in far northern Chile, you will definitely come across numerous Vizcacha signs like this one.

The speed zones in these Vizcacha habitat areas are barely above double digits so that you don’t unceremoniously flatten one of these cool animals under one of  your car tyres.

Vizcacha Pics

The Vizcacha is an unusual beast.  On first appearance, the Vizcacha resembles a rabbit.

I haven’t eaten one, so I have no idea if it tastes like a Rabbit.

But the Vizcacha is actually related to the Chinchilla, which is a rodent.  Or basically, it’s more related to a Rat!

This animal conundrum is similar to the Hyrax of Africa, which is unusually related to an elephant!

So the Vizcacha is not a Rascally Riddle Rabbit like Bugs Bunny.

More Vizcacha Stuff

If you want to find out more, check out Viscachas and chinchillas: An entry from Thomson Gale’sGrzimek’s Animal Life