Las Chinchillas National Reserve, National reserve in Choapa Province, Chile.

Las Chinchillas National Reserve is a protected area in Choapa Province covering semi-arid terrain with rocky hills and sparse plant life. The landscape features a mix of rocky slopes and bare plains where hardy vegetation clings to the harsh environment.

The reserve was created in 1983 to protect the long-tailed chinchilla, a rodent whose fine, commercially valuable fur had been exploited indiscriminately for a long time until the species was endangered. It is the only place in Chile dedicated to conserving this animal. A Supreme Decree of 30 September 1983, published on 22 February 1984, also placed the subsoil under scientific-interest protection for mining purposes.

The reserve's name comes from the long-tailed chinchilla, a rodent whose fine fur was exploited indiscriminately for a long time until it was endangered. About half of the wild chinchillas live outside the reserve boundaries, on communal and private land, so local landowners share in their protection. The reserve receives few Chilean and foreign visitors each year.

A visit requires preparation since the terrain is dry and visitors should bring plenty of water. Infrastructure is limited, so you need to be self-sufficient, and temperatures can shift dramatically between day and night.

Only about half of the wild long-tailed chinchillas here live inside the reserve; the rest inhabit private and communally owned land outside its boundaries. The reserve was created in 1983, and its subsoil is also protected as a site of scientific interest for mining purposes under a decree of 30 September 1983.