Vicuña is one of the two wild South American camelids, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes, the other being the guanaco, which lives at lower elevations. Vicuñas are relatives of the llama, and are now believed to be the wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas.
A swift, graceful animal, the vicuña is the smallest of the camelids, with a shoulder height of about 90 cm (36 inches) and a weight of about 50 kg (110 pounds). When in danger, vicuñas emit a high, clear whistle. Vision and hearing are more highly developed than their sense of smell. Vicuñas are hunted by pumas, culpeos, and Andean foxes.
They travel in small bands of females, usually led by a male who acts as lookout and defends his territory against intruders. They spit frequently and noisily, like all lamoids.
Vicuna wool is considered the most expensive and luxurious wool!
Vicuñas produce small amounts of extremely fine wool, which is very expensive because the animal can only be shorn every 3 years and has to be caught from the wild.
The history of Vicuña wool dates back to the Inca civilization. Vicuñas were once considered sacred, and their hunting was forbidden, with only royalty allowed to wear their precious fur, a symbol of opulence akin to gold. At the height of the Inca Empire, roughly 2 million Vicuñas roamed the vast Altiplano region, spanning Peru, Bolivia, and northern Argentina.
The arrival of Spanish conquistadores in 1532 led to the discovery of Vicuña fleece, putting these animals in danger.
Both under the rule of the Inca and today, vicuñas have been protected by law, but they were heavily hunted in the intervening period. At the time they were declared endangered in 1974, only about 6,000 animals were left. Peru established the Pampa Galeras National Reserve in 1967, covering 16,000 acres to safeguard them.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) classified the Vicuña as 'most endangered,' banning international wool trade in the year 1975. Today, the vicuña population has recovered to about 460,000 by 2020.
Peru took a unique conservation approach, entrusting rural villagers to become custodians of these animals, allowing them exclusive rights to shear and sell the wool. CITES now ensures that Vicuñas are sheared alive and released into the wild, with a three-year waiting period between shearings. This success story exemplifies how dedication, conservation, and global cooperation can preserve precious natural resources.
Vicunas hold an extraordinary position in Peruvian culture, as they are the country's national animal, proudly featured on the flag, coat of arms, and coins.
