Author's Note:
I was inspired to write about chinchillas when I was thinking about exotic animals I could research. I am focusing on organization.
I was inspired to write about chinchillas when I was thinking about exotic animals I could research. I am focusing on organization.
Quietly rustling through the sand on another humid day out in the wild. Eating a cactus and basking under the cooling mid-day breeze. Scurrying around the desert on dainty little feet. Not being threatened by prowling animals. Distracting the predator by shedding the fur from where they have locked on to a defenseless back. The highly curved spine extends as it dashes away from the predator. The only animal active enough that this day could belong to, would be the chinchilla.
Most wild chinchillas live in or near the Andes Mountains of South America. They like it there because it's perfect for their natural needs. The dry, mountainous environment allows them burrow into crevices of rocks and make a home. Their thick fur allows them to withstand temperatures as low as fifty five to sixty degrees.
A chinchilla's fur is only half as fascinating as the bone structure of one. It has a spine that makes a curve that is close to a semicircle. The arc allows the chinchilla to run swiftly and jump distances up to six feet. Its top jaw bone overlaps the bottom bone making it look almost like buckteeth. Chinchilla’s feet are furry pads that are separated into small fingers. The total skeleton of a chinchilla is a very complex and unique structure that almost no other animal has.
Since they are so small, predators see them as an easy meal. Common predators are skunks, large birds, and wild dogs. If a wild dog were to bite a chinchilla, a natural instinct is to shed the fur from where they were bitten and to spray urine at the predator. This could distract a predator, giving the chinchilla time to run away. In general, chinchillas aren't that easy to capture in the wild. The main threat to a chinchilla are human poachers that try to capture them.
Chinchillas are very active animals. Between saving themselves from dogs to making a home in between rocks, they can have extremely busy days. One might be able to find a wild chinchilla burrowed in the Andes Mountains or somewhere in the surrounding area. A chinchilla’s fur isn't just soft and fluffy, it is used to stay warm and as a defense against predators. Finally, chinchillas are small attentive creatures that can be found scurrying around South America on their pad-like feet.
Most wild chinchillas live in or near the Andes Mountains of South America. They like it there because it's perfect for their natural needs. The dry, mountainous environment allows them burrow into crevices of rocks and make a home. Their thick fur allows them to withstand temperatures as low as fifty five to sixty degrees.
A chinchilla's fur is only half as fascinating as the bone structure of one. It has a spine that makes a curve that is close to a semicircle. The arc allows the chinchilla to run swiftly and jump distances up to six feet. Its top jaw bone overlaps the bottom bone making it look almost like buckteeth. Chinchilla’s feet are furry pads that are separated into small fingers. The total skeleton of a chinchilla is a very complex and unique structure that almost no other animal has.
Since they are so small, predators see them as an easy meal. Common predators are skunks, large birds, and wild dogs. If a wild dog were to bite a chinchilla, a natural instinct is to shed the fur from where they were bitten and to spray urine at the predator. This could distract a predator, giving the chinchilla time to run away. In general, chinchillas aren't that easy to capture in the wild. The main threat to a chinchilla are human poachers that try to capture them.
Chinchillas are very active animals. Between saving themselves from dogs to making a home in between rocks, they can have extremely busy days. One might be able to find a wild chinchilla burrowed in the Andes Mountains or somewhere in the surrounding area. A chinchilla’s fur isn't just soft and fluffy, it is used to stay warm and as a defense against predators. Finally, chinchillas are small attentive creatures that can be found scurrying around South America on their pad-like feet.
SOURCES:
- "Chinchilla Facts." Chinchilla Planet - A Guide for Pet Owners. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://www.chinchillaplanet.com/chinchilla-facts/>.
- "Chinchilla Facts - Information on Chinchillas." Chinchilla Facts - Information on Chinchillas. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://www.chinchillafacts.net/>.
- "X ray of a healthy chinchilla image by phillipnsarah on Photobucket." Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/x%20ray%20of%20a%20healthy%20chinchilla/phillipnsarah/toffeedraw.jpg>.
I liked the intro it seemed like a poem. you said you would work on organization and you did very well.
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