The animal on the cover of Search Engine Optimization for Flash is a long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera). One of two species of chincillas, the long-tailed chinchilla is also known as the Chilean, the Coastal, or the Lesser chinchilla. In their native habitat, chinchillas are colonial, living in the arid, rocky environments of the Andes Mountains from southern Peru to Chile. They usually hide during the day in crevices and cavities among rocks, emerging at night to feed on any available vegetation.Long-tailed chinchillas are popular pets. They have a broad head, fairly large ears and large black eyes, a small body, and a bushy tail. Their dense, soft fur insulates them in the cold mountainous regions they inhabit. Their bodies are slender, and they have tails that can measure up to a third of the size of their body. Chinchillas have long, strong hind legs that enable them to run and jump agilely. Their dorsal side is bluish, pearl, or brownish-grey in color, and the belly is a yellowish-white color. They can weigh up to 1.8 pounds and be as long as 15 inches. Females are mostly monogamous and bear two litters per year, with two to three young per litter. The gestation period of 111 days is a relatively long one for such a small animal. The lifespan in the wild is around 10 years, though domesticated chinchillas may live for up to 20 years. These small mammals have been hunted for their luxurious fur since the 1900s, when around 500,000 chinchilla skins were exported annually from Chile. At that time, chinchilla populations were flourishing. Their pelts were the most valuable in the world-one could sell for as much as $100,000-and soon they were facing extinction in the wild. There are currently an estimated 10,000 chinchillas left in the Chilean mountains. Both species of chinchillas are protected by law.