Mammals
Huemul
Hippocamelus bisulcus · also called South Andean deer
Appearing on Chile’s national coat of arms alongside the Andean condor, a huemul nonetheless survives today in only a small fraction of the range it once occupied across the rugged southern Andes.
Overview
The huemul, Hippocamelus bisulcus, is an Endangered mammal native to forest and mountain habitat across the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina. Its status as a national symbol of Chile, its drastically reduced historical range, and its ongoing struggle against competition and disease from livestock make it one of the more conservation-critical deer species found anywhere in South America.
A national symbol in genuine trouble
Despite standing proudly on Chile’s coat of arms, the huemul’s real-world population tells a far more precarious story, fragmented into small, isolated groups across the southern Andes after decades of habitat loss and pressure from introduced livestock.
Status
Endangered, with populations remaining fragmented and declining due to habitat loss, livestock competition, and disease transmitted from domestic animals.
Huemul: common questions
Why is the huemul significant to Chile?
This species appears on Chile's national coat of arms alongside the Andean condor, making it a national symbol despite its now-precarious status in the wild.
How much of its original range does the huemul still occupy?
This species survives today in only a small fraction of the range it once occupied across the southern Andes, with populations now fragmented and isolated from one another.
What threatens the huemul today?
This species faces competition for grazing land from introduced livestock, along with disease transmission from domestic animals sharing the same mountain habitat.
What do huemul antlers look like?
Males of this species grow relatively simple, forked antlers, less elaborate than the antlers seen in many other deer species around the world.