How long have chinchillas been on earth?

Chinchillas have been around for a surprisingly long time! They are considered living fossils, meaning their lineage has remained relatively unchanged for millions of years.

While the exact time of their origin is still debated, scientists believe chinchillas have been on Earth for around 40 million years. This puts them on the planet since the Eocene epoch - a time when dinosaurs had already gone extinct and mammals were diversifying.