Guanaco Factfile

Scientific Name : Lama guanicoe

World Distribution

Guanacos are found from southern Peru, to the foothills of the Andean mountains in Chile, Argentina and Patagonia.

Habitat

They live on open grass or shrubland, from sea level up to altitudes of 4,000 metres. In these areas there is little shelter or water, and temperatures can be extremely cold, especially at night.

Feeding

Guanacos feed on grass (this is known as grazing) and leaves and buds from shrubs (this is known as browsing).
Because the plants in the guanaco's habitat tend to be rather poor quality, they have stomachs with three compartments so that they can get every last bit of goodness from their food. They bring up food which has already been digested and chew it again.

Predators

Guanacos are hunted for food by pumas and mountain wolves. They are now a protected species but in the past they were eaten by people too.

Breeding

Guanacos live in two types of group:

1. Family groups with one male and up to 10 females with their young.

2. Batchelor groups consisting of males which have been driven out of their birth group by their father. These males will try to establish family groups of their own by challenging existing males.

Females give birth to one young every two years, after a pregnancy of about 11 months. The young guanaco (known as a chulengos in S America) will stay with its mum until its father drives it away from the group.

Other interesting facts

• Guanacos have specially adapted hearts and blood cells to enable them to live at high altitudes where the air is short of oxygen.
• A new born guanaco can get up and follow its mother when it is just half an hour old.
• Guanacos can run at up to 56km per hour. This is essential for survival because there are no hiding places in the guanaco's habitat - the only way to escape is to run!
  
  

  Facts and Figures
  Name	guanaco
  Type of animal	mammal
  Where found	South America
  Habitat	grasslands
  Diet	herbivorous
  Average length	170 cm
  Average weight	110 kg
  Average number of young per year	0.5 (one every two years)
  Gestation	350 days
  Maximum lifespan	28 years
  Note for Teachers

  
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