Mammals
Guanaco
Lama guanicoe · also called guanacos
Ranging from windswept Patagonian coastline to high Andean plateaus thousands of metres up, a guanaco is the wild ancestor behind every domestic llama, living in family herds that form the primary food source for the puma across much of its vast range.
Overview
The guanaco, Lama guanicoe, is a Least Concern mammal native to grassland, mountain, and desert habitat across Patagonia and the high Andes of South America. Its status as the wild ancestor of the domestic llama, its exceptionally broad elevational range, and its central role as puma prey make it one of the more ecologically important large herbivores found anywhere in southern South America.
The wild original behind a domestic icon
Long before llamas became a familiar sight on farms worldwide, the guanaco was already roaming Patagonian grassland and Andean highlands, the untamed original from which humans bred one of the most recognisable domestic animals of the Andes.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across suitable Patagonian and Andean habitat, having recovered in parts of its range following reduced hunting pressure.
Guanaco: common questions
Is the guanaco related to the llama?
Yes, this species is the wild ancestor of the domestic llama, one of only a small number of wild camelid species found anywhere in South America.
What preys on the guanaco?
This species serves as the primary prey of the puma across much of its range, a predator-prey relationship central to the ecology of Patagonian grassland and open terrain.
How do guanacos organise themselves socially?
This species typically lives in family groups defended by a single dominant male, along with separate bachelor herds made up of young and unattached males.
How does the guanaco survive such extreme temperature swings?
This species has a thick, insulating coat adapted to the extreme temperature swings typical of Patagonian and high Andean environments, coping with freezing nights and much warmer days.