Mammals · Artiodactyla · Camelidae
Vicugna vicugna
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The wild relative of the llama and the alpaca, it produces one of the finest and most valuable fibres in the world.
Weight
35 kg – 65 kg
Size
1.5 m – 1.6 m
Life expectancy
20 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Herd
Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.
Estimated population
Some 347,000 animals in total: around 188,000 in Peru, 127,000 in Argentina, 63,000 in Bolivia, 17,000 in Chile and 2,700 in Ecuador (a population introduced in 1988); the species fell below 10,000 animals in the 1960s
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: A-Z Animals · Britannica · Animals.net · Animalia.bio · Dimensions.com · Exploringnature.org · StudyGuides.com · BioDB · Twycross Zoo · Acebes et al. 2018, IUCN Red List e.T22956A18540534: catalogada como Preocupación menor por su amplia distribución, su tamaño poblacional y su tendencia creciente · IUCN Red List, evaluación de Vicugna vicugna de 2018 · Animal Diversity Web
Best time: May to October
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Vicuna — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Based on what we already know about vicuna.
