Abrocoma boliviensis
Bolivian chinchilla rat

Abrocoma boliviensis is restricted to Central Bolivia. (Nowak, 1999)

Bolivian chinchilla rats have been captured near the Comarapa river valley in the province of Manual M. Caballero. The area was rocky, with small shrubs. The elevation was approximatley 2500 m. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990)

So few A. boliviensis have been captured that it is difficult to get a meaningful species size average. There is one measurement of an individual being 174 mm in head and body length. The species has been recorded as being generally smaller than A. bennetti, which has a body length of 195 to 250 mm and weighs around 225 g for males and 300 g for females. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990; Nowak, 1999)

Information on A. boliviensis is scarce. However, a Bennett's chinchilla rat, A. bennettii, lived for 2 years and 4 months in captivity. (Nowak, 1999)

All species in the genus Abrocoma have hairs that protude over the three middle toes of their hind feet. These are used for grooming and digging. The social system of A. boliviensis is not known, however, a related species, A. cinera, lives in small colonies, in one instance having 6 individuals within 18 meters of each other. (Nowak, 1999)

Home Range

Nothing is known about home range size in this species.

Nothing is known about communication and perception in this species. Like other rodents, they are likely to use olfaction extensively in communication and perception.

It is not known with certainty what A. boliviensis eats, but it is believed that this species eats many types of plant material. A similiar species, A. bennetti, eats mainly buds, shrubs, and bark. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990; Nowak, 1999)

While nothing is known about specific predators of A. boliviensis, Lycalopex culpaeus has been found to prey on A. bennetti. (Iriarte et al., 1989)

There is nothing known about the ecosystem role of this species.

There are no known adverse effects of Bolivian chinchilla rats on humans.

Being very much like chinchilla fur, Abrocoma fur is sold at market for a small profit. (Nowak, 1999)

Bolivian chinchilla rats are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened species. Data on populations and ecological requirements are extremely limited and they are also designated "data deficient."

Very little study has been done on A. boliviensis. While futher study is warranted, it has been suggested that due to their diet of leaves, buds, and bark, these animals will prove difficult to trap using standard trapping techniques. (Glanz, 1990) (Glanz and Anderson, 1990)