Camelidae - camels, llamas, alpacas, vicugnas | Wildlife Journal Junior Home | Wild Files | N.H. Animals | Animals A-Z | Watch Online Camelidae - camels, llamas, alpacas, vicugnas The six species in this family are found in two groups. Camels are found in Asia and Africa. Llamas, alpacas, and vicugnas are found in South America. The species in this family are large and most of them have been domesticated. They are herbivores and have three-chambered stomachs. Their top lip is split into two and they can move each part separately! They have long necks and a small head and long legs with padded feet with two large toes. They live in small groups made up of females and their young and one adult male. Although there are no living species of camelidae family in North America today, the fossil record shows that the family started and evolved there. Scientists have found preserved remains in the La Brea Tar Pits near Los Angeles. The members of the camelidae family that were in North America probably resembled llamas. Members of this family migrated to South America and Asia over land bridges.

By the end of the last glacial age, they had become extinct in North America. The bactrian camel is found in the Gobi desert in Mongolia and China. The Gobi desert is a cold desert and the bactrian camel has many adaptations that help is survive in a cold desert habitat. It has two humps on its back. The hump is not filled with water; it is filled with fat. The camel uses this stored fat when water and food are scarce. While the bactrian camel doesn't store water in its humps, it does have special sack in its stomach that can hold over a gallon of water, and it can go a few days without drinking. In the winter, it has a thick, shaggy coat that helps keep it warm. Its bushy eyebrows; long double rows of eyelashes; and nostrils and lips that close tightly help keep sand out of its eyes, nose, and mouth. The bactrian camel stands as tall as seven feet from its shoulder to its feet and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. The bactrian camel is an herbivore and eats grass, leaves, thorns, and bark. It prefers salty plants.

It has tough lips that let it eat very hard vegetation. Most bactrian camels are now domesticated and there are only a few hundred in the wild. The dromedarian camel is found in the deserts in Africa and the Middle East. It has one hump that stores fat, not water. It stands 6-7 feet from its shoulder to its feet. It has long legs and padded feet with two toes. It has a long, curved neck and a small head with a long snout with nostrils that can close. Its upper lip is split into two sections, and it can pull its lips in tightly to keep out sand. It is light brown in color and has a shorter coat than the bactrian camel. It eats a wide variety of plants and can eat tough and hard plant parts that other animals can't chew or digest. It prefers salty plants. The llama, the guanaco, and the alpaca. They are all native to the Andes Mountains in South America and they are all herbivores. The only wild species is the guanaco. The llama and the alpaca are domesticated. The guanaco is found in the grasslands of the Andes Mountains.

It has a small head, long legs, and a long neck. It is about 3.5 feet tall from shoulder to feet. It has a shaggy, reddish-brown coat and is white on its undersides. Like the camels, it has a split upper lip. It eats grasses and shrubs. The guanaco lives in groups of females and their young and one adult male. It can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. The guanaco is a protected species in Chile and Peru. The llama and the alpaca are descended from the guanaco. The llama was domesticated from the guanaco 4,000-5,000 years ago. Llama were used as pack animals. The llama is 5.5-6 feet tall from head to toe. It has two toes on its padded feet and can easily grip the rocky surfaces in its mountain habitat. The llama has long, shaggy fur. Its fur can vary in color from reddish-brown, to white, black, brown, or a combination of colors. Llama fur is used to make clothes. The alpaca was also domesticated from the guanaco.

The alpaca is slightly smaller than the llama. It is about 5 feet tall from its head to its toes. It looks like the llama. Unlike the llama, the alpaca is not used as a pack animal, but its soft, shaggy fur is used to make clothing. The vicugna is found in the plains and grasslands of the Andes Mountains. It is the smallest member of the camelidae family. It is three feet tall from shoulder to feet. It has a slender body; a long neck; thin legs; and long, silky fur. It is a reddish-brown on its uppersides and white on its undersides. It has a mane of hair on its chest. The the vicugna is also known as the vicuña. World Status Key Did you know that camels were domesticated more than 3,000 years ago? Source: San Diego Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Alpacas spit when they are angry.

Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes The native range of the alpaca is the central and southern Andes from Peru to Argentina. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes All domestic camels are descended from the Bactrian camel. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No All domestic camels are descended from the Bactrian camel. Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Wild Bactrian camels live in northwestern China and Mongolia. Wild Bactrian camels are critically endangered. Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Bactrian camels can drink 30 gallons of water in just 13 minutes. Yikes! Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Bactrian camels have two humps.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Bactrian Camel - Camelus ferus Bactrian camels have pads on their knees that protect their skin when they kneel on the rocky ground. Source: Minnesota Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Bactrian Camel - Camelus ferus Camels are called the 'ship of the desert'. They have been domesticated as beasts of burden longer than any other mammal. Source: Utah's Hogle Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Bactrian camels can reach seven feet in height and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Source: Lincoln Park Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Wild Bactrian camels are adapted to handle the extreme temperature changes found in the wild. Source: Chicago Zoological Society Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Long eyelashes and elongated nostrils protect Bactrian camels from blowing dust and sand. Source: St.

Louis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes The Bactrian camel's two humps contain fat, not water. Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Dromedary - Camelus dromedarius The dromedary's hump stores up to 80 pounds of fat that a camel can break down into water and energy when food and water is not available. Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Dromedary - Camelus dromedarius The Arabian camel eats plants. They have a leathery mouth that lets them eat thorns and dry vegetation. Yum! Source: The Living Desert Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Dromedary - Camelus dromedarius The dromedary eat practically anything that grows in the desert, including salty plants rejected by other grazers. Source: Oakland Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes The dromedary has one hump.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes The dromedary has padded feet that help it walk on the hot sand! Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No This South American animal is related to camels and, like camels, they were were domesticated. Source: San Diego Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Guanaco - Lama guanicoe The guanaco is the largest wild member of the camelid family in South America, and is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic llama. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Guanaco - Lama guanicoe The guanaco is found from southern Peru down the Andean zone of Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego and Navarino Island. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Guanacos are usually found in small herds or loosely structured family groups.

Source: Animal Planet Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No The scientific name for llama is Llama glama! That's just fun to say! Source: Brandywine Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes The llama has a four-chambered stomach. Source: Honolulu Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Llama - Lama glama The llamas native range is the Andes mountains, but they are no longer not found in the wild. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes The vicuña is the smallest member of the camelid family. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No The vicuña lies in the Andes of southern Peru, western Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, and northern Chile. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes The vicuña's coat is very thick and traps warm air.

Source: Edinburgh Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Explore the Natural World - Local & National PBS Video Quick Links guanaco | mammal | Britannica.com Guanaco llama Guanaco, (Lama guanacoe), South American member of the camel family, Camelidae (order Artiodactyla), closely related to the alpaca , llama , and vicuña, which are known collectively as lamoids. Unlike camels, lamoids do not have the characteristic camel humps; they are slender-bodied animals with long legs and necks, short tails, small heads, and large, pointed ears. They graze on grass and other plants. When annoyed, they spit. Lamoids are able to interbreed and to produce fertile offspring. Herd of guanacos in eastern Patagonia, Valdés Peninsula, Argentina. © Victor Englebert The guanaco, like the vicuña , is a wild lamoid that lives in small bands of females, usually led by a male. The guanaco ranges from the snow line to sea level throughout the Andes from Peru and Bolivia southward to Tierra del Fuego and other islands.

The adult stands about 110 centimetres (43 inches) at the shoulder; it is pale brown above and white below, with a grayish head. The soft, downy fibre covering of the young, or guanaquito, comprises about 10 to 20 percent of the fleece and belongs to the group of textile fibres called speciality hair fibres. Guanaco fibre , introduced for textile use in the mid-1900s, is valued for its rarity and soft texture and is used for luxury fabrics; it is considered to be finer than alpaca but coarser than vicuña. The pelts, especially of the guanaquito, resemble those of the red fox and are used by the fur industry, which provides the textile industry with waste fibre remaining after processing. Depending on the authority, the llama, alpaca, and guanaco may be classified as distinct species or as races of llama (Lama glama). Because of certain structural features, the vicuña is sometimes separated from the other lamoids as Vicugna vicugna.

Learn More in these related articles: Guanaco | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants ABOUT Camels, guanacos, llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas are all members of the camel family. Cool critters: Guanacos are graceful animals related to camels. Pronounced "gwa NAH ko," they live throughout South America in dry, open country in the mountains or on the plains. Guanacos have a calm attitude, so people started to domesticate them for use as pack animals. Llamas are descendants of wild guanacos that were domesticated 6,000 to 7,000 years ago. Andean peoples raise them for wool, meat, and skin and also used them as pack animals. The result is the llama of today, which is the domesticated version of the guanaco—llamas don’t exist in the wild. Another branch of the family tree is the alpaca, which is also a type of domesticated guanaco raised for its soft wool. An alpaca, a domesticated type of guanaco. Everyone knows what a llama looks like, but what are guanacos?

Standing less than 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall at the shoulder, guanacos have a slender body, long legs, and a long neck. They are shorter and smaller than their camel relatives. Although they seem delicate, guanacos can weigh up to 265 pounds (120 kilograms). Male guanacos are larger than the females. All guanacos have a thick, wooly coat that can be light brown, brownish yellow, or a rusty red. Their belly, rump, and the backs of the legs are usually white; the head, ears, and nape of the neck are gray. These colors help guanacos blend in with their grassland and desert habitats. Guanacos have large eyes with thick lashes to protect them from dust and dirt kicked up by heavy winds. Their ears are large and pointed. Though related to camels, they do not have any humps on their back. What they do share in common with camels are their feet. Two padded toes on each foot help with footing on rocky trails or gravel slopes. Their feet are best described as “squishy.” Most guanacos live in herds.

They run when threatened, and their best chance of escaping a predator, such as a mountain lion or fox, is to do it all together. If they run in a group, this may confuse the predator, making it harder to focus on any one individual. Guanacos at the San Diego Zoo sound an alert call when animal trainers walk one of the Zoo's wolf ambassadors by their enclosure. Even though the wolf is on a leash, he’s still a wolf, after all! Guanacos have many ways of getting around. In the open places where they live, there is no place to hide. But guanacos are excellent runners, reaching speeds of 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour, just like horses. Their soft-soled hooves gain traction on the gravelly terrain. Baby guanacos, called chulengos or guanaquitos, are able to run soon after birth. Guanacos are also strong swimmers and are comfortable standing or lying in mountain streams. Whether walking, running, or swimming, guanacos are athletic. All animals have many ways of communicating, although some ways are more pleasant than others. The guanaco starts out using the standard method of ears, body, and tail positions.

When the ears are up, it means the animal is relaxed. Ears forward means the guanaco is alarmed, and ears laid flat signals aggression. A tail pointing down is normal, straight out is a sign of an alert guanaco, and straight up is an aggressive signal. A nose-to-nose encounter is a type of greeting, while slouching down indicates submission. Guanacos also communicate through vocalizations. Their sounds range from high-pitched trills to snorting and shrieking. Their alarm call sounds like a cross between a bleat and a laugh. Guanacos have other communication methods that some people might find gross. They can spit up to a distance of 6 feet (1.8 meters) and have great aim. What’s in their spit? Their stomach contents, made up of food that has been stewing in digestive juices. Food is not just for eating, as far as guanacos are concerned! Guanacos also use their dung as a form of communication: dung piles mark territory boundaries for them. The next time you meet a guanaco, you'd better hope it has nice things to say to you!

HABITAT AND DIET Guanacos are the largest herbivores in South America's dry areas. Their split upper lip acts like fingers to help draw in food. They are grazers and browsers and can eat some pretty tough, low-quality food. Not to worry, though—guanacos have a specialized digestive system to handle it. Their stomach has three chambers, and they are ruminants, like cows. This allows them to get the most nutrients from the plants they eat. Guanacos don’t need to drink any water and often don't drink during the day, getting all the moisture they need from the food they eat. At the San Diego Zoo, the guanacos eat high-fiber pellets, Bermuda grass, and Sudan grass. FAMILY LIFE Guanacos may live in a family group that includes one adult male, several adult females, and youngsters less than one year of age. Young males kicked out of the herd by the dominant male when they reached sexual maturity often form bachelor herds. The young males stick together for protection and practice fighting skills through play fights. And some males remain by themselves. These guys tend to be mature males looking for females or a herd to take over so they can start their own families.

A male often picks a territory that has high-quality vegetation to help him attract the females. Intense sparring between males, involving biting, spitting, and pushing the opponent to his knees, ensures the gene pool stays diverse—winner takes all, for a time. Females wait to become pregnant until environmental conditions seem right. They give birth every other year to a single calf during the summer months, which are December through February in South America. Mountain lions are the guanaco's main predator but can only carry off one or two young. For this reason, many females give birth at about the same time so the babies have a greater chance of survival. Newborn guanacos can stand five minutes after birth. Newborns can stand five minutes after birth and begin to follow their mother immediately. They are weaned at 6 to 8 months and may be forced to leave the group at 11 to 15 months old. The young males join with other young bachelors; young females find other family groups to join. It is a rough life for a baby guanaco, though. Predators, lack of food, bad weather, and accidents can mean death to the little ones.

Only 30 percent of guanaco babies born in the wild live long enough to become adults. AT THE ZOO The San Diego Zoo received its first breeding pair of guanacos in 1968. We have been working hard for this species' preservation ever since. Today, the Zoo has both guanacos and llamas in Elephant Odyssey. The guanacos live with capybaras and Baird’s tapirs. Keepers say they are a “pretty happy and relaxed group." We also have a llama animal ambassador that you may meet strolling the grounds with a keeper. The guanacos get different browse materials for enrichment, such as leafy mulberry and acacia branches. Tree guards on all the trees in the exhibit keep the guanacos from eating the bark. Keepers have trained them to stand on the scale and get a dose of fly spray. They get sheared at the Zoo every few years; rolling and rubbing helps them shed in the interim. CONSERVATION There used to be about 50 million guanacos in the world. Today there are less than 600,000, with about 90 percent living in Argentina.

Human activities resulting in habitat loss are the main threat to their survival. People consider them pests in parts of South America because they graze in certain regions where farmers keep their sheep. You can help us bring species back from the brink by supporting the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy . Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. LIFE SPAN Is a Guanaco the Right Exotic Livestock for You? Scientific name: Lama guanicoe The basics: The Guanaco belongs to the Camelid family of Llamas, Alpacas and Vicunas. They are native to the arid, mountainous regions of South America. The Guanaco lives in small bands of females, usually led by a male. The global estimate for the guanaco population is below 600,000 animals, and almost 90% of the population is found in Argentina. Specialist breeders have created small Guanaco herds in many countries around the world - where the animals are used for their fiber. Appearance / health: Guanaco range from a light brown to dark cinnamon color, and shading to white underneath. Guanacos have grey faces and small straight ears.

They are extremely striking with their large, alert brown eyes, streamlined form, and energetic pace. Housing / diet: Guanaco are not considered to be picky eaters, and in captivity are allowed to graze, and fed supplemental hay, protein blocks and occasional whole grains. Guanaco are ruminants, and like cows, their stomach has three chambers. Guanaco | Wild Nature Wild Nature IUCN Red List Guanaco The animal of Guanaco belongs to cloven-hoofed mammals of the llamas genus from camelids family and is a progenitor of the tamed llama. The Spanish geographer and historian Cieza de Leon wrote the first description of Guanaco in 1553 in “The Chronicles of Peru”. Guanaco has a long and thin neck, long legs that are typical for all camelids. Adults’ height till shoulders is 90-130 cm, the length of body is 120-175 cm, tail reaches 15-25 cm and weight limits are 90 – 140 kg (the smallest representatives were discovered in the northern Peru, and the largest ones – in the south of Chile).

Guanaco head is relatively small and rounded, the ears are small and straight, neck skin is solid, face is gray and resembles a camel. Colors of heavy wool vary from light brown shades to dark cinnamon coat pattern; chest, belly and internal parts of legs are white. Guanacos’ habitat is rather wide: from the south of Peru till Tierra del Fuego. These animals can be met at the altitude of 4500 m. They prefer open arid and semi-arid hilly areas, but it possibly meet them as at mountains, the same as at Peru rain forests. Guanaco are herbivores animals. Their favorite nutriment are two kinds of bush (Mulinum spinosum and Colletia spinosissima) in the foothills of the Andes, but also they eat different herbs, lichens, mushrooms, cactuses, fruits and flowers. These animals are divided into groups, each one consists of females, young stock and dominant buck. Young bucks form a separate herd up to 50 individuals, but females herds are less, up to 10 adults.

The herd’s territory depends on the region and is protected from other representatives of the genus, but in difficult times Guanaco form a mixed herds up to 500 heads; they migrate in searching a food. The buck informs about a danger by sharp whistle, at this moment a herd is running often with a speed about of 56 km/hr even on rough terrain. Usually a dominant male runs behind to defense the herd. Guanaco swim well, during self-protection spit actively by a mixture of nasal mucus and saliva. Puma is the only predator who attacks a guanaco. The mating is going on in family groups from December to January. Usually the offspring is delivered in November – December. Gestation period of Guanaco lasts for 11 months. Very often, a one calf is delivered; its weight is equal to about 10% of mother’s weight. Two kids can appear sometimes, but only one of them survives. A calf can stand up after 5 minutes at birth, but on average, it gets up after a half an hour, starts to graze after a few weeks and it becomes separate after 8 months.

The species of Guanaco is protected by the state in Peru and Chile, because there they hunt for meat, leather and valuable wool of Guanaco. Resource Library - Other Animal Information - Llamas Other Animal Information Woodchuck The Llama The llama (Lama glama) is a graceful�though sometimes ill-tempered�animal that was domesticated from the wild guanaco (Lama guanicoe) thousands of years ago by native people of South America. Today, llamas are extremely useful animals found on farms and ranches around the world. The llama and its wild ancestor, the guanaco, are the largest members of the camel family (Camelidae) in the Americas. The camels of Africa and Asia are much larger than llamas, however. Other members of the camel family native to South America are the vicuna and its domesticated descendent, the alpaca. Llamas and camels belong to a larger group (an �order�) of hoofed mammals called Artiodactyla, which also includes deer and pigs. The animals in this order all have an even number of toes on each foot.

Llamas have two large toes�which are covered with toenails instead of true hoofs�on each foot. Hoofed mammals in the order Perissodactyla, such as horses and rhinoceroses, have an odd number of toes on each foot. Where Llamas Live The native habitat of llamas and guanacos is the cold and dry Andes Mountains region of South America, including parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. The sure-footed llamas run easily over the rugged mountaintops at elevations as high as 13,000 feet. The air at such high elevations contains little oxygen�a condition that would make breathing very difficult for most other animals. Llamas can live in this extreme environment because their blood contains an unusually large amount of hemoglobin, the substance in the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues. The Llama�s Body Like other members of the camel family, the llama has a long neck and long legs. Unlike camels, however, the llama has no humps on its back. Llamas stand about four feet high at the shoulders. From head to tail, a llama is roughly four feet long.

Llamas typically weigh approximately 300 pounds. Llamas have very thick and long hair. Over the centuries, people have bred llamas so that their hair has various colors and color combinations, including black, brown, gray, tan, white, and yellow. The llamas� guanaco ancestor, by contrast, has hair that is mostly brown. Food Llamas are herbivores (plant eaters) that graze on mostly grasses. They also eat low-growing shrubs and lichens (crustlike combinations of algae and fungi that often grow on rocks). Llamas break off plant material by clipping it between their large lower teeth and hard gums. These hardy animals need to drink very little water, getting most of their moisture from the plants that they eat. Llamas, like cattle, are ruminants. In other words, they chew their cud, which is partly digested plant material regurgitated from the stomach to be chewed and swallowed again. Behavior Llamas have interesting personalities. People in South America value llamas as �beasts of burden� because the animals are able to carry loads of more than 130 pounds for distances as far as 20 miles a day.

However, llamas can be stubborn. When they decide they have worked hard enough for the day, they will simply lie down and refuse to budge. When a llama becomes angry or frightened, it will spit the smelly contents of its stomach into the face of an enemy. Female llamas sometimes spit at male llamas when the males are bothering them too much. Llamas are fast and graceful runners, able to reach speeds of about 35 miles per hour. This swiftness helps them escape from predators, such as puma and ocelots. Reproduction Llamas live in herds made up of 4 to 10 breeding females, a single adult male, and the females� offspring from the current year. The male protects the other members of the herd and drives away any other male of breeding age. Adult males sometimes get into loud growling fights, in which they bite each other and wrestle by wrapping their long necks around each other. The male typically mates with the females of the herd in late summer or early autumn. Each female gives birth to a single young llama (called a cria), which weighs roughly 24 pounds. The cria is able to stand and run only one hour after its birth.

Young llamas nurse on their mothers� milk for three to five months. They then start eating plant food. When male llamas are a year old, the adult male in the herd drives them out of the group. They then try to form their own herds of females. Llamas can mate when they are two years old. Lifespan Some llamas have lived on farms and ranches for more than 20 years. However, most llamas live about 15 or 16 years. Amazingly Useful Animals The native people of the Andes Mountains domesticated the llama from the guanaco 6,000 to 7,000 years ago. They used llamas for many purposes in addition to carrying heavy loads. The llamas� fleece (shorn hair) was used to make clothing and ropes. Their hides were used to make sandals. Their meat was used for food, and their fat for candles. When the Spanish arrived in South America in the 1500�s, the Inca Indians were using 300,000 llamas as beasts of burden in silver mines. Today, llamas continue to be amazingly useful animals.

They are raised on farms and ranches in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, mainly for their high-quality fleece but also for food and for pets. A llama is typically sheared every two years, yielding six to seven pounds of fleece at a time. Llamas also make excellent guard animals. They will protect herds of sheep, goats, and horses by driving away predators and other enemies. Article Written By: Alfred J. Smuskiewicz MAIN SOURCES USED IN RESEARCH: World Book Online: Llama article, 2008. David Burnie, Don E. Wilson, editors. Smithsonian Institution Animal. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 2001. Ronald M. Novak, John L. Paradiso. Walker's Mammals of the World, 4th ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983. Guanaco - definition of guanaco by The Free Dictionary Guanaco - definition of guanaco by The Free Dictionary (gwə-nä′kō) n. pl. gua·na·cos or guanaco 1.

A South American ruminant mammal (Lama guanicoe), related to the llama and having soft, fine wool. 2. a. The wool of this mammal. b. Fabric made from this wool. [Spanish, from Quechua huanaco.] (ɡwɑːˈnɑːkəʊ) n, pl -cos (Animals) a cud-chewing South American artiodactyl mammal, Lama guanicoe, closely related to the domesticated llama: family Camelidae [C17: from Spanish, from Quechuan huanacu] gua•na•co (gwɑˈnɑ koʊ) n., pl. -cos. a South American ruminant, Lama guanicoe, considered the wild ancestor of the domesticated llama and alpaca. [1595–1605; < Sp < Quechua wanaku] ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Education Research Vicuna for the Apparel Industry Technical information of the Vicuna Fiber. After having been sheared, the Vicuna fiber is classified as described next. Classification of the Vicuna Fiber according to the size.

I.- Long Commercial Fiber: It is the fiber that has a length of 2 or more centimeters and include two different types: Type A with a diameter of 12 microns Type B with a diameter of 13 microns In the first case, the fiber stems from the back of the animal whereas, in the second case, the fiber comes from its flanks. II.- Short Fiber: This fiber has a length of less than 2 centimeters. It is obtained from the classification done during the dehairing phase. Classification of the Vicuna Fiber according to its condition I.-Dirty fiber: This fiber is the one obtained after the shearing of the animal. II.- Dehaired fiber: The dehairing consists in eliminating broadly the hair, the plant's rests and the inert material remaining in the fiber. III.- Clean fiber: The cleaning consists in eliminating completely all the hair remaining in the fiber. South American Camelids The Camelids appeared in North America during the Pliocene at the end of which they migrated to Africa and Asia through the Bering Strait some 3 million years ago.

They evolved there to form the Camelini tribe, including the modern Bactriano camel of Asia with 2 humps and the dromedary, or camel with one hump, located in the Near East and North Africa. Similarly, the Camelids migrated south through the Panama isthmus and spread in South America where the Lamini tribe was formed. Finally, the ancestral Camelids disappeared in North America. Nowadays, The South American Camelids are represented by the Vicuna Vicugna Vicugna (with 2 sub-species: the first one, namely the southern Vicuna V.v.vicugna, is located south of the latitude 18S, and is bigger and clearer than the northern Vicuna, the V.v. mensalis), the Guanaco Lama guanico, which would be the ancestor of the domestic lama, the Lama Glama, and of the Alpaca, Lama pacas. South American Camelids belong to the Artiodactyla order, sub-order Ruminantia, family Camelidae. POPULATION It is estimated that the worldwide population of South American Camelids amounts to some 7.5 millions, that are mainly located in four Latin American countries.

Some 90% of these animals include domestic species (Lamas and Alpacas), whereas the other 10% are made up of wild species (Vicuna and Guanaco). In the year 2000, out of the total in the continent, some 90% of the Alpacas and 64% of the Vicunas were located in Peru, whereas 60% of the Llamas were in Bolivia and 95% of the Guanacos in Argentina. Approximated population of South American Camelids (*) Camelids distribution in Latin America (*) Camelids population in Latin America (*) Camelids distribution in Peru (*) Vicugna Vicugna Vicugna THE Vicuna AND ITS HABITAT The Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna vicugna), a beautiful wild animal, is the smallest species of the four South American Camelids and its habitat is constituted by the High Andes territory at an altitude of 3,800 to 5,000 meters.

This territory includes, in Peru, 16 departments (namely: Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Hunuco, Huancavelica, Ica, Junn, La Libertad, Lima, Moquegua, Pasco, Puno, Tacna) in which is concentrated the rural population living in the poverty and even extreme poverty. According to the last National Vicunas Census 2000-CONACS, the Vicunas population amounted to 118,678 animals on an area of 6,660,998 hectares in the frame of the Nine Regional Association, representing some 60% of worldwide Vicunas population. Within the Inca Era, the average Vicunas population amounted to 2 million animals thanks to the fact that it was managed in an appropriate way. Its utilization was narrowed, because it was considered as a sacred animal, and limited to the Chaccu practice (capture) with a strong ritual content.

During the conquest and the Vice-Kingdom, began an indiscriminating depredation due to the fineness of its fiber and, in spite of the numerous legal measures passed between 1825 (Bolivar) until 1962, the Vicunas killing went on at an accelerated rhythm mainly due to the international demand of its fiber. Only since the 1960's, a movement aimed at the preservation of flora and fauna has begun. In 1966, an Agreement was signed between the Lucanas Community and the Forestry, Hunting and Fauna Service, which permitted the creation of the Pampa Galeras Refuge. Since 1972, on the basis of the Cooperation Agreement between Peru and Germany, technical and financial support could be obtained to implement the project named Repopulation and Rational Management of the Wild Vicuna. Thereby, the National Reserve of Pampa Galeras became an experimental center for all the technology related to the Vicuna not only for Peru but also for all the other countries possessing this precious species. DISTRIBUTION AND CURRENT SITUATION. The Vicuna lives in the High Andes at an altitude of 3000 to 4000 meters.

The Vicunas population is currently spread between 930's and 2900's in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It is interesting to stress on the fact that more than the half of the total of Vicunas living in those countries is located in Peru. However, its preservation in those countries has to face, nowadays, a series of difficulties. The Vicuna in Argentina is gradually recovering in spite of the problems related to furtive hunting. In Bolivia, the population is unstable due to the lag of continuity in the protection policy established a few years ago. In Chile, on the other hand, the Vicunas population is clearly recovering and the threat of its disappearance has recently been moved away. Distribution of the Vicuna in Latin America (*) The worldwide population is currently stable but could rapidly decrease if an end was put to the conservation's efforts. THE Vicuna SOCIAL BEHAVIOR The Vicuna is a gregarious and territorial animal whose social organization can be divided in three groups: I.- The Family Group This group is made up of a male, approximately 6 or more females and their offspring of the current year. It is a territorial family group in which the male is the one defending the territory against other family males or young males.

At the age of 8 months, the male offspring is expelled from the group and, as this occurs in several family groups, those animals gather and make up the males herd. II.-The herds Those herds, which can reach up to 200 members in the highly populated regions, are made up of young males that still haven't reached their reproductive age. The members have no leader and migrate through wide areas in continuous conflict with the family males, which they will finally replace in the family group. III.- The loners Generally, the loners are old males removed from their family group and their territory. THE Vicuna BIOLOGY The Vicuna gestation lasts eleven months and the female gives birth to only one animal during the period lasting from February to April. The frequency of births is higher during the sunny days between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. due to the fact that the Vicuna is unable to lick its offspring; as a result, this latter must dry out in the natural environment. The Vicuna is an herbivorous animal living mainly on small seeds of the High Andes.

The Vicuna is perfectly adapted to the High Andes ecology because of its really fine fiber which keeps the animal warm, allowing it to resist the lowest temperatures. The Vicuna has a brown color and holds some 14 million red blood cells per cubic millimeter, allowing it to harness the rare oxygen of the High Andes. Its hard paws contain small cushions and are well-adapted to rocky grounds. Their teeth continually grow until they re getting on, preventing them from premature damages due to hard and dry grass. They live in an open atmosphere and their best defense against their enemies is to escape since they can reach a speed of about 45 Kms per hour. The Vicuna predators are the pumas and the foxes. The Condor, as far as he is concerned, eats dead Vicunas but also attacks weak and ill animals. In normal conditions the Vicunas population can reach a net annul raise of 17% on average. The Vicuna, as a wild animal, shows some clear advantages in comparison with the domestic species in our country, as Peru possesses the endemic genetic material which makes genetic improvement techniques unnecessary. Furthermore, the species offers the opportunity to be handled in its wild state, with low costs of infrastructure.

THREATS AGAINST VicunaS SURVIVAL. The most important threats against Vicunas survival include illegal hunting, the increase of the competition with domestic Lamas and Alpacas for pasture lands, and the lack of funds to develop preservation activities on a long term basis. Illegal hunting has increased in Bolivia and Peru, overwhelming the control's possibilities of the authorities, particularly in the zones affected by the guerrilla. It is needed that the populations living in the Vicunas territories get conscious of the benefits that long term preservation of the species can hold. The bad weather, the pumas predation, among others, are also considered as brakes for the reappearance of Vicunas in some areas. THE Vicuna TAXONOMY Lama Guanicoe THE GUANACO SPECIES The Guanaco is considered to be a wild species, like the Vicuna. Some scientists think that Lamas and Alpacas are races derived from the Guanaco. Other consider that they're different species. Actually, we can say that both theories are valid. In the natural environment, those animals make up herds of 5 to 10 females, a male and their offspring.

The period in which the Guanacos are in heat corresponds to the southern summer, between November and February. The gestation period lasts eleven months. The Guanaco belongs to the South American Camelids and is a little bigger than the Vicuna. This animal could be classified in four sub-species, that are described next: - The L.g.guanacos, living in Argentina and Chile to the south of the 38 S. - The L.g.huanacus, existing only in Chile - The L.g.cacsilensis can be found in the High Andes of Peru, Bolivia and the North-East part of Chile. - The L.g.voglii only lives between the 21 S and the 31 S of the Argentinean Andes DISTRIBUTION AND CURRENT SITUATION (GUANACO) The species can be found throughout the Andean chain of mountains, from the North of Peru (8 S) to the Earth of Fire (53 S), and also in the Argentinean Patagonia. In the old days, its territory was spreading further up north and, in the south, it included Paraguay, Uruguay and the South of Brazil.

Nowadays, those animals are situated in cold regions but they are considered to be animals living in dry climates, and therefore indifferent to the temperature. In Bolivia, the current distribution spreads from the 19 S to the 22 S and from the 62 W to the 65 W. The species lives there at an altitude of 300 to 3800 meters high. In Chile, an important Guanaco population lives in the Earth of Fire whereas another lives all along the Argentinean border. In Peru, Guanacos spread out in 5 departments, mainly to the south of the country. The estimated population for those countries is the following: Guanacos distribution in Latin America (*) The distribution and density of population of the guanacos in South America haven't been accurately determined up to now. However, current datas point out that both factors are considered to be stable even if they are likely to decrease rapidly.

THREATS AGAINST GUANACOS's SURVIVAL The main threat against Guanacos survival comes from the intense commercial hunting and the fact that Chilean and Argentinean cattle's breeders are opposed to Guanacos because they compete with their cattle regarding food and water, and, furthermore, because the Guanaco is considered to be a carrier of illnesses. THE GUANACO's TAXONOMY Category

Question: The guanaco belongs to which animal family?
Answer: Camel