Basil and Parsnip are two sister chinchillas that were born at Zoo to You Conservation Ambassadors Inc in 2021. When they realized they had a few too many chinchillas they asked us if they could re-home some with us. We said yes! Chinchillas make great ambassador animals for many reasons: they're small and travel easy, they're tactile and very soft (have you ever felt a chinchilla?), they also come with an important conservation message. Although captive chinchillas are everywhere, as they are very popular pets now, they are actually endangered. They're numbers were diminished by over-hunting. Hunting chinchillas is now illegal, but their numbers are still going down due to habitat destruction. This is why we are happy to have these two girls to help educate the public about chinchilla conservation and how it can apply to other animals as well. What can you do to help chinchillas? Well for starters, if you are considering getting one as a pet, make sure you are getting them from a reputable pet store or breeder.