Vicuna
Vicugna vicugna
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Huari, Vicugna, Vicuña, Wik'uña
The Vicuña is the smallest member of the family of camelids and is regarded as the alpaca's wild ancestor. It looks endearing, with its large, forward-facing eyes and small, wedge-shaped head with sharply triangular ears. The color of the head varies from reddish-brown to yellow, and its neck is pale orange. Its chest is covered with a silky white mane, but the fur of the rest of its body is soft and of the same length. It has a pale brown back and its underside and the inner parts of its flanks are dirty white.
347,273
population size
20-25 yrs
Life span
45 km/h
Top Speed
35-65 kg
Weight
75-85 cm
Height
1.5-1.6 m
Length
Disrtibution
The vicuña inhabits the Andes in southern Peru, north-western Argentina, western Bolivia, and northern Chile. It lives in mountainous areas above 3,200 meters, grazing on the short, tough vegetation of these semi-arid rolling grasslands, marshes and plains known as “antiplano” or “puna”. It inhabits areas where water is available for it to drink on a daily basis. The climate of its habitat is dry, and is hot during the day and cold at night.
Habits and lifestyle
Vicuñas are shy and alert animals that run away very rapidly. When they sense danger, they make a clear whistling noise. The dominant male warns the herd with its alarm call, and then positions himself between the threat and his herd. A single dominant male is the leader of a group of juveniles and females. He decides the range of the herd's territory and its membership, and drives other male vicuñas away from his group. Family groups are closed, excluding non-member males and sometimes even preventing young female animals from joining. A family group usually numbers 6-10 individuals, according to food availability in its territory. Vicuñas have a feeding territory as well as a separate territory for sleeping. They are diurnal animals, and at night go up to their sleeping territory at higher altitudes. Adults that do not lead a herd either become solitary, or they join a large herd of 30 to 150 individuals.
Diet and nutrition
The vicuña is a grazer only, eating mostly short perennial grasses.
Diet
Mating habits
Vicuñas are polygynous, the dominant male mating with all mature females from his herd. The mating season begins in March or April. The gestation period is 330 to 350 days, and a single fawn is born. A fawn can stand just 15 minutes after being born. It remains close beside its mother for 8 months or more, continuing to suckle until the age of 10 months and becoming independent at around 12 to 18 months of age. Young males join bachelor groups and young females join a sorority. Females are sexually mature at 2 years and some are still reproducing at 19 years.
Mating behavior
Reproduction season
March-April
Pregnancy duration
330-350 days
Independent age
12-18 months
fawn, cria
baby name
1 fawn
baby carrying
Population
Population threats
Poaching takes place, the vicuña’s coat and products being smuggled in large amounts to Asia and Europe. Habitat loss due to over-grazing from domestic livestock or human activities, such pollution of water sources and mining, is a further threat. Climate change may damage the delicate ecosystem where the vicuña lives. A recent potential threat, in the Andes as well as worldwide, is the breeding of a vicuña and alpaca hybrid (a pacovicuña) for commercial purposes.
Population number
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the vicuña is 347,273 individuals, including estimates for specific regions: Argentina: 127,072 or 72,678 individuals; Bolivia: 62,869 individuals; Chile: 16,942 individuals; Ecuador: 2,683 individuals; Peru: 188,327 individuals. Vicuñas’ numbers are increasing today and they are classified as least concern (LC) on the list of threatened species.
Fun facts for kids
- The vicuña has the honor to be pictured on the crest of the Peruvian flag.
- The vicuña has good eyesight and quite good hearing but it has a poor sense of smell.
- Given the DNA evidence, it is now generally thought that alpacas have descended from vicuñas thousands of years ago.
- During fighting, the male will usually spit at its opponent.
- Vicuñas make a high soprano whistle as a warning call.
- Vicuña babies will often graze while they are lying down.
- The male vicuña feels most happy and at ease when surrounded by 5-15 females.
- Vicuñas can live in the cold temperatures at night even though they have very thin wool. Their bodies can trap the sun's heat during the day in their skin to keep them warm during the night.