Chinchilla History

No, actually, a totally different animal, they just occupy the same Family suborder which happens to be labelled 'Chinchillidae'. Two different animals, same family, DIFFERENT different Genus. Chinchillas do not share the Genus classification with viscachas and that's where the distinction lies, they're in separate Genus' because they're separate animals, that is, further down the scientific classification they're specified as different by having their own Genus.

The Family 'Chinchilladae' contains two different animals with their own Genus and Species: Lanigera and Brevicaudata are Species under the Genus 'Chinchilla' and Northern Viscacha, Southern Viscacha, Wolffsohn's Viscacha, and Plains Viscacha are Species under the Genus 'Viscacha'. The viscacha Genus and Species info I looked up just now to get those classification details (http://www.teachersparadise.com/ency/en/wikipedia/c/ch/chinchilla.html), but most of this is what I know from other resources in doing extensive book and online studies so it's integrated for me now but still based on fact, not a casual observation or conjecture, I value having fact to rely on too. I've seen a couple sites mistake viscachas for chinchillas and I'll be updating my site to reflect the difference and hopefully defuse confusion somewhat, as it is somewhat confusing.

For pics of wild chinchillas, go here, I'm sure they'd be happy to accommodate you if you requested permission to post: http://sapphire.indstate.edu/%7Edeanea/photo.html#wild Besides having a more bluish tinge, they're pretty much the standard grays you see today.

The photo on your History page is a Viscacha, not a chinchilla, btw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizcacha

Regarding illegal chinchilla ranches, pelting is still legal in the U.S. although it is no longer profitable and some chinchilla lovers are cooperating with ranchers to ensure that all chinchillas get a home as a cherished pet: http://www.matildesmission.org/

Where are all the illegal chinchillas ranches?