Rare Patagonian mammal's secrets revealed after eight years of research

After eight years of meticulous research, scientists have unveiled crucial details about the Wolffsohn's viscacha, an exceptionally rare rodent native to Patagonia. This intensive study has significantly advanced our understanding of the species and bolstered conservation initiatives.

The collaborative efforts of early-career conservation specialists from Argentina, including ecologists Lucas Hormachea and Morgan Pendaries, have transformed the scientific community's knowledge of this elusive creature. Their work, conducted across 66 sites in remote Patagonian mountains, often under extreme conditions, has provided the first solid assessment of the species' status.

As a direct result of the detailed information gathered on the Wolffsohn's viscacha and the threats it faces, its official conservation status in Argentina has been elevated from 'Data Deficient' to 'Endangered' on the national Red List. Data from this research is also being used to re-evaluate its status on the global IUCN Red List.

Resembling a rabbit but not closely related, the viscacha's physical similarity is a result of convergent evolution. Its closest relative is the chinchilla. The Wolffsohn's viscacha is the rarest of the five known viscacha species, found only on isolated rocky outcrops along the border of southwestern Argentina and southern Chile. Researchers noted that the species occupies a much smaller range than previously believed and has disappeared from areas where it was once recorded, facing multiple threats.