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Vicuña
Vicugna

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WILD STATUS
Least Concern.

DISTRIBUTION
Andes mountains, southern Peru to northern Chile and into parts of Bolivia and Argentina.

SIZE
Height: 1.2-1.8 m (4’-6’).
Weight: 34-63.5 kg (75-140 lbs).

HABITAT
High grassland plateaus.

REPRODUCTION
They mate in the spring, with a gestation period of 11 months.

DIET
Mainly grasses.

INTERESTING TIDBITS
  • The Vicuña is a member of the camel family, and thought to be an ancestor of the alpaca.
  • It has an incredibly thick soft coat to trap layers of warm air close to the body to protect it from freezing.
  • Vicuña’s lower teeth grow constantly like a rodents’ so they can eat tough grasses.
  • Their milk is very rich so their offspring grow very quickly.
  • Vicuña’s are a very shy animal and can run very quickly.
  • They live in herds of 5-10 members.
  • They are threatened because they have been hunted for the use of their wool and their meat.
HABITAT RANGE
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ANIMAL FACT SHEET
To download the information from this page and also get a full page photo of the Vicuña click here for a PDF.

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