Skip to main content

Vicuña

(Image Source)
Phylum: Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Camelidae
Genus : Vicugna
Species : vicugna

Height : 2.75-3.25ft (84-99 cm)
Weight : 100-120lbs (45-55kg)

IUNC Status : Least Concern

(Image Source)
The Vicuña is one of two wild Camelids found in South America, the other being the Guanaco. They can be found in the high grasslands of the Andes Mountains, hanging out at elevations of 10,500-15,750ft (3,200-4,800m). Vicuñas are the smallest of all the Camelids, and it is believed that they are the descendants of the domesticated Alpacas.

Vicuña fibers are some of the rarest and most sought after in the world. The hairs are finer than cashmere are are warmer than wool, but only about 1lb per year is produced per animal and they can only be shorn once every two years. Vicuña fleeces have been harvested for centuries, but unrestricted hunting almost led to the extinction of the species in the 1960s and 1970s. Legal sheering is allowed today under careful watch to ensure that all captured Vicuñas are returned to the wild.

Vicuñas live in rather interesting social groups. Each group includes a dominant male and several females, who have a daytime feeding territory and a higher elevation nighttime territory. These groups are very close-knit, and juveniles are kicked out to prevent inbreeding and competition. Young males and females form bachelors herds along with other members of their sex. Vicuñas are very skittish animals, and will quickly flee from any hint of danger. Thanks to a large heart, they can run at speeds of 30mph (50kph) at high elevations.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Hannah Q. ParrisFebruary 4, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    Yes! I love these guys; I saw them when I studied abroad in Chile. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a...
59 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more