Guinea pigs were a sacred animal of the Incas, a tribe which originated from Peru in the 13th century and spread across South America, and were traditionally used in medicine, religion and as food.

A Peru Guinea Pig stands at an agricultural research farm where breeding animals are raised for distribution to farms across the country, in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.

Guinea pigs were domesticated from a member of the cavy family living in the wild in Peru, Argentina and other parts of South America. Unlike rabbits and hamsters, they have no cheek pouches or tail.

but for pigs and dogs. We are using gene editing technologies to develop new vaccines against avian diseases. Chicken is the main source of animal protein in Peru and more than 64 million chickens ...