Brazilian Guinea Pig
Brazilian Guinea PigBrazilian Guinea Pig

Brazilian Guinea Pig

Cavia aperea

Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Chingaza National Natural Park
9 Verified sightings at Chingaza National Natural Park From 2019 to 2026
106 Verified sightings across all 8 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Brazilian Guinea Pig

The Brazilian guinea pig (Cavia aperea) (preá in Portuguese) is a wild guinea pig species found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Cavia aperea has been successfully mated to the domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, though many females become infertile in successive generations.

Brazilian guinea pigs are mainly diurnal animals and are narrower and longer than domesticated guinea pigs. This is a medium-sized guinea pig with an adult length of about 272 mm (11 in) and a weight of 637 grams (22.5 oz). The tail, at around 2.4 mm, is almost non-existent. The dorsal fur is dark olive-brown mixed with brown and black, and the underparts are a pale grey or yellowish-grey.

Its karyotype has 2n = 64 and a reportedly variable FN of 116 or 128 for C. a. aperea and 128 for C. a. pamparum. The Brazilian guinea pig has a wide distribution in South America at altitudes between 400 and 3,000 metres (1,300 and 9,800 ft) above sea level. Its range extends from Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela to areas in the north of Argentina. Its typical habitat is open grassland and savannah.

Cavia aperea is... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Chingaza National Natural Park

Capybara
LC

Capybara

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Stump-tailed Porcupine
LC

Stump-tailed Porcupine

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Echinoprocta rufescens

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Red-tailed Squirrel
LC

Red-tailed Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus granatensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Long-tailed Porcupine

Long-tailed Porcupine

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Coendou longicaudatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
2 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~30%
3 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
4 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
5 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
6 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
7 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
8 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brazilian Guinea Pig in Chingaza National Natural Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Brazilian Guinea Pig sighting in Chingaza National Natural Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brazilian Guinea Pig in Chingaza National Natural Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Brazilian Guinea Pig in Chingaza National Natural Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Chingaza National Natural Park