Home
Up
Environmental Education
Capacity Building
Protected Area Management
Publications
News and updates
Eco-tourism
Legislation
Partners and Links
Contact Us
Home

Andean People and the vicuña:  A re-encounter with nature and culture

    The vicuña (Vicugna vicugna; family Camelidae) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated alpaca and a close relative of the domestic llama.   Vicuña fiber is one of the finest in the world (13-14 microns), superior to cashmere and angora, and is highly prized by local people and the international textile industry. At present, 1 kilogram of vicuña fiber is worth $509.00.  Thus, vicuña fiber can provide important sources of income to often impoverished Andean communities.    

The vicuña lives in the Andes at  between 4,000-5000 meters in altitude.  Throughout their habitat, in the high, treeless plains known as the puna, they have co-existed with Andean peoples, who in pre-Columbian times developed sophisticated management techniques to utilize vicuñas without harming their populations.  The chaku (a quechua word) was arguably one of the most spectacular wildlife/human interactions in existence.  The chaku, or roundup and live-shearing of vicuñas, was practiced in Inka times.  Thousands of Inka subjects participated in the roundup, covering vast expanses of the puna, slowly herding vicuñas and other wildlife into corrals.  During the roundup, thousands of vicunas were captured; those animals deemed fit were shorn to obtain their fleece, while old or sick animals were sacrificed.  The vast majority of vicuñas were re-released into the wild.  The fleece obtained was utilized to create beautiful garments for the Inka nobility. 

    It is estimated that before the arrival of the Spanish, who overthrew the Inka empire, vicuñas may have numbered from 2-3 million.  Lamentably, in a situation that could be compared to what happened with the American bison, wholesale slaughter of vicuña (ostensibly to obtain prized pelts) led to the near extinction of the vicuña in Peru.  It is estimated that by 1960, only about 10,000 individuals remained.  Rightfully alarmed, conservationists campaigned to ensure that strict protectionist measures were carried out in order to save the vicuña from extinction.  These measures led to a partial recovery of vicuña populations and in 1994, CITES (Conference on International Trade in Endangered Species) granted Peru the right to export vicuña fiber obtained from live-shorn animals.  In 1995 legislation was passed giving exclusive usufruct rights to live-shear the vicuna to local communities in the Andes. After 463 years, Andean people were once again charged with the management, conservation, and utilization of the vicuña.  This re-encounter has had significant effects on their  culture, politics, spiritual practices, and strengthens their relationship to the vicuña and puna habitat.

While the new relationship between Andean people and vicuñas is complex, there is no denying that for many communities the vicuña has become a symbol of Andean identity and source of enthusiasm and pride.  See recently passed legislation (in February 2004) that complicates the scenario for communities to utilize and sell vicuña fiber.

One of Conatura's goals is to provide technical opinions to the government and create public awareness regarding policies and legislation that are important to vicuña conservation.

Photo:  Community members form a human wall by holding hands during the last phase of a vicuña roundup.

Send mail to ctsahley@alltel.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2007 Conatura-Peru