What Is a Guanaco?
The guanaco is one of the largest mammals living in South America, found in the mountainous terrain of countries such as Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and into the plains of Argentina.
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Size
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The guanaco can be as tall as four feet at the shoulder and attain weights well over 200 pounds. It has a 10 inch long tail and can be six and a half feet long, when measured from nose to tail.
Description
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The guanaco has long legs and a thin body that features a long neck. Its ears are smallish and pointed, and the coat is very thick, especially in the region around the neck. Guanacos are brownish with a gray head; the area near the lips, ears and eyes is white.
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Herds
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These animals live in herds, with the unattached males living together; the females also travel together with their young, along with a single dominating male guanaco.
Behavior
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The guanaco can run very fast and is also an excellent swimmer. It feeds on a variety of plants, including lichens, grasses, buds, mosses, and shrubs.
Predators
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Among the animals it encounters, only the mountain lion is a major threat to the guanaco. However, the animal has been hunted by humans, reducing a population once estimated at seven million to around 600,000.
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Resources
- Photo Credit www.olc.edu
