VICUŅA FACTS

VICUŅA (VICUGNA VICUGNA), THE WILD ANCESTER TO THE ALPACA lives in the Andes from Ecuador to Chili and Argentina in mostly the arid puna or altiplano.

Vicuņa Facts

Vicuņas are one of two wild camelid species living in the Andes and is the wild ancestor of the Alpaca; the other being the Guanaco, ancestor to the Lama. The iconic animal is the national mammal of Peru and appears in its coat of arms.

Vicuņas produce a highly valued wool, which sells for $300/kg. The wool consists of one of the finest wool fibers - 12 micrometers - in the world and is right up there with cashmere and angora wool. One animal will annually only grow about 0.5 kg of wool, and shearing is rather laborious, as the animals are wild. Prices for vicuņa wool can range from US$1,800 to US$3,000 per yard. However, annually, up to 22,500 kg of vicuņa wool are exported as a result of illegal activities. Through special government programs, much of the proceeds of the sales go to the local communities that harvest the wool.

The animal is so interesting from an economic point of view, as it lives on high elevations, above 3800 m, where very little else but harsh dry grasses will cover the highlands, thus producing income form otherwise unproductive land.

In fact, its wool almost brought the animal to extinction in the 1960s, when ultimately only 6,000 animals had survived ruthless hunting practices.  In the 1970s, the animals became protected and were guarded in Pampa Galeras, where a rigid protection program helped the animals to recover, and over time the animals started re-invading the altiplano, not only in Peru, but also in Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. A small herd has been introduced to the paramo of the Chimborazo in Ecuador, where the herd has grown to more that 6,000 animals, while in its original territories, populations have grown back to healthy levels of 400,000 thousand animals and numbers are still growing. This is considered one of the world's great conservation success stories.

However, with such high wool prices, the animal remains subject to illegal poaching and it is estimated that 25 tons of wool leave the country from illegal practices. Given its extremely high wool prices, the animal remains subject to poaching and therefore is considered vulnerable, in spite of its large numbers. Probably its greatest protection is the interest of the local communities, that benefit from the wool proceeds. As such, they watch over the animals against poachers.

A gorgeous wild animal with incredibly beautiful eyes with long eyelashes not only produces some of the world's highest priced wool, but is also an icon for conservation and a major tourism attraction for the countries where it lives.

Vicuņas live in herds of 1 male with up to 15 females, while bachelor male herds may have as many as 50 individuals.

Although "hoofed" animals, camel species, like the Vicuņas y Guanacos, don't have real hoofs but rather flattened toes that spread on thick cushions. For vicuņas these serve well when wading through seasonal mud pools and salt beds.

These vicuņas are clearly recently sheared.

Fact: Vicuņas are rather territorial and defecate on large piles, thus concentrating organic material.

Coat of Arms of Peru with a Vicuņa as the national mammal.