RANGE
Peru, Chile, Argentina
HABITAT
Dry mountain areas.
SIZE
Height: 3–4 feet tall (at the shoulder)
Weight: 160–200 lbs.
REPRODUCTION
Mating season is November through February.
Gestation: 11 months
Usually give birth to one offspring at a time.
Male spits into face of female during courtship
DIET
Wild: Heribvore. Feeding on vegetation.
Zoo: Alfalfa, grain mix
BEHAVIOR
- Live in small groups of about 20 animals, 1 male per group.
- When males fight they try to snap the opponent’s front legs in order to knock him down and force him on his knees. If their necks cross, they try to press each other down with their necks.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Guanaco are the ancestors of the domestic llama.
- Foot pads are small and movable, helping the animals to move securely over narrow trails and gravel slopes.
- Global population estimated at 600,000. 90% of population is estimated in Argentina.
STATUS
Listed as Least Concern due to a wide distribution, presumed large populations and their occurence in numerous protected areas. Although they currently do not meet threat criteria, they remain a research and management priority. The future of the species depends on the implementation of conservation-oriented management at local, national and international levels.
The least concern category is used to highlight species that have a relatively low extinction risk compared to those that are assessed as threatened or near threatened.
SOURCES
www.iucnredlist.org/details/11186/0
