Home › Mammalia › Camelidae › Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)
SPECIES PROFILE
Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)
Vicugna
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
High Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
DIET
Herbivorous
HABITAT
High Andean puna and altiplano (3,000-5,000 m)
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Artiodactyla
FAMILY
Camelidae
GENUS
Vicugna
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 0.9 m at shoulder; 35-65 kg
COLORATION
Cinnamon above, white below, with a long white bib
ADAPTATIONS
Finest wool of any animal insulates against extreme Andean cold
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
High Andean puna and altiplano (3,000-5,000 m)
DIET
Herbivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
High Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
REPRODUCTION
One cria per year
DIET DETAILS
Low tough grasses of the altiplano
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Historic poaching for wool; now recovering
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The wild ancestor of the alpaca, its wool is the most valuable natural fibre in the world.
2
Once nearly hunted to extinction, protected herds have recovered strongly across the Andes.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Eduardo Avaroa Reserve
Sajama NP
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Year-round
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Scan high-altitude puna grassland and salt-flat margins in early morning for grazing family groups.
