Scientific Name:  Dolichotis patagonum

Found In: Argentina

Size: Cavies have a head-body length of 27 – 30 inches and body weight of 20 pounds.

Diet: Herbivore: grasses and herbs

Threat Level: Near Threatened – Habitat destruction for agriculture, and hunting for their skins have resulted in localized extinctions such as Buenos Aires Province.

Facts: Although they are mistaken for a species of rabbit, cavies are actually the fourth largest species of rodent.

A Patagonian Cavy living at the Virginia Zoo
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