Where does the guanaco live?
The guanaco inhabits the steppes, scrublands and mountainous regions of South America. It is found in the altiplano of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and in Patagonia, with a small population in Paraguay. In Argentina it is more numerous in the Patagonian regions and on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, where its populations are more robust because grazing competition from livestock is limited. A small population, of around 400 as of 2003, was introduced to the Falkland Islands.
What does the guanaco eat?
The guanaco responds to forage availability: during the breeding season it occupies zones with low to intermediate food availability, and in the non-breeding season those with the highest. Reproductive groups tend to stay small, often with no more than 10 adults, while bachelor herds may contain as many as 50 males. When the male detects danger, he warns the group by bleating. Faced with a fox, guanacos protect their young by forming a circle around them.
Is the guanaco endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern, but its population is only 3 to 7% of what it was before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. In Bolivia, its habitat is threatened by woody plant encroachment. It is related to the llama, but, unlike it, it was never domesticated.
