Las Chinchillas National Reserve

{{Short description|Chilean national reserve}} {{Infobox Protected area | name = Las Chinchillas National Reserve | iucn_category = IV | iucn_ref = <ref name = unep>UNEP-WCMC (2023). [https://www.protectedplanet.net/9434 Protected Area Profile for Las Chinchillas] from the World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref> | image = Habitat du Chinchilla lanigera - Auco.jpg | image_caption = Chinchilla Habitat | location = Coquimbo Region, Chile | nearest_city = Illapel | area_km2 = 42.29 | coordinates = {{Coord|31.6306|S|71.1653|W|source:kolossus-plwiki|display=inline}} | designated = 1984 | designation = National reserve | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) }}

'''Las Chinchillas National Reserve''' is a national reserve located in the Choapa Province, Coquimbo Region, Chile.<ref name = unep/> The reserve gives shelter to some of the few remaining colonies of long-tailed chinchillas in the wild.

==Biology== In addition to the chinchillas, other small mammals (mainly rodents), two fox species and felines like the Puma inhabit the reserve and surrounding hills. Actually only about half of the wild chinchillas are located within the reserve boundaries. The other half live on private and communally owned lands.

The reserve is home to a number of species of birds, including the Chilean mockingbird, Chilean tinamou, long-tailed meadowlark, moustached turca and Harris's hawk. Owl species inhabiting the park include the burrowing owl, austral pygmy-owl and great horned owl. The Andean condor can also be seen in the area.

==References== {{reflist}} *{{in lang|es}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20070718152453/http://www.sernatur.cl/Areas_Silvestres/Coquimbo/Coquimbo.html Reserva Nacional Las Chinchillas]

Category:National reserves of Chile Category:Protected areas of Coquimbo Region Category:Chilean Matorral Category:1984 establishments in Chile Category:Protected areas established in 1984