- The southern viscacha or mountain viscacha has been dubbed the pandemic mascot for its sleepy and tired-looking appearance.
- The adorable fluffball is often spotted sitting on its haunches with its eyes closed, like it really needs a good nap.
- Despite their appearance, however, the viscacha is actually quite chill and happy.
People have taken to an adorable fluffball for its tired-looking appearance. The southern viscacha, or mountain viscacha, looks like a big fluffy rabbit with its long ears and powerful hind legs. Often seen sitting on its haunches while sunbathing, it also resembles a big chinchilla.
With its droopy mouth and eyes that always look closed, the viscacha looks like it really needs a good night’s rest.
The southern viscachas, which reside in the Andes mountains and rocky crags of South America, recently went viral on social media.
Their tired-looking expressions have made some people call them their “spirit animal,” and even the mascot for 2021.
Viscachas, which are almost perfectly round, can grow to about 12 to 18 inches long and weigh over 6 pounds. The large rodents love sunbathing on rocks while resting and grooming their thick coats.
Viscachas have small front paws that are not suited for digging, but their speed and expert climbing skills make up for it.
They are also social animals that live in large colonies. They make use of a number of whistles and calls to signal the approach of a predator, allowing them to quickly hide into their burrows between the boulders.
While the viscacha’s facial expression can make it look constantly tired and a little sad, one can tell its true mood by looking at its long, fluffy tail.
An extended tail means it’s distressed or anxious, while a curled tail, like the one shown above, shows that it’s feeling relaxed.
So, it turns out that the tired-looking “pandemic mascot” is actually quite happy and relaxed. Perhaps we can try to adopt this adorable fluffball’s chill attitude, too.
Source: The Dodo