Vicuna

The vicuña or vicuna is one of the two wild South American camelids, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes, the other being the guanaco, which lives at lower elevations. Their diet consists mainly of grass and like cows they chew the cud to get all the nutrients they can from it. To help them eat dry, tough grass, vicunas' lower teeth continue to grow through their life so they do not become blunt. The behavior of vicuñas is similar to that of the guanacos. They are very shy animals, and are easily aroused by intruders, due, among other things, to their extraordinary hearing. Like the guanacos, they frequently lick calcareous stones and rocks, which are rich in salt, and also drink salt water.

Relatives: llama

Species: V. vicugna

Family: Camelidae

Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Phylum: Chordata

Conservation status: Least Concern (Population increasing)