Their generalist diet and efficient water and energy metabolism have enabled them to survive under harsh circumstances, including in extremely arid climates (Franklin, 1982). Alpacas mainly eat grass or hay, and not much—approximately two pounds per 125 pounds of body weight per day. But such predators as bobcats, cougars, wolves, bears, raccoons and even some of the larger hawks and other birds of prey will also attack and devour an armadillo. These sturdy creatures are domestic animals used by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. Like their domestic descendant, the llama, the guanaco is double-coated with coarse guard hairs and a soft undercoat, the hairs of which are about 16–18 µ in diameter and comparable to the best cashmere. But they live in South America, while camels are found in Africa and Asia. They are found in high-mountain regions of Peru, Bolivia and Chile as well as in Patagonian and Tierra del Fuego grassland in Argentina and Chile. Their diet mainly consists of grasses, cushion plants, weeds, and some woody shrubs. See 27 photos and 20 tips from 708 visitors to Guanacos Tacos. [6] Other terrestrial mammalian megafauna to weigh similar to or exceed guanaco include the tapirs, the marsh deer, the white-tailed deer, the spectacled bear, and the jaguar. Alpacas are natural foragers and do very well left out on pasture to graze. They are found in the altiplano of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and in Patagonia, with a small population in Paraguay. This is very important so that food resources are able to grow in those areas again over time. Some populations are sedentary, while others make seasonal migrations, sometimes moving to lower altitudes in order to avoid drought or snow cover. 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T11186A18540211.en, "Guanaco - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures", https://www.dimensions.guide/element/guanaco, "Visit Englands Finest Safari Park & Zoo near Liverpool & Manchester", "5 Fascinating Facts About Guanacos » Cascada Expediciones", "Genetic analysis reveals the wild ancestors of the llama and the alpaca", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guanaco&oldid=995051367, Taxa named by Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2008, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from April 2010, Taxonbars with automatically added original combinations, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 23:39. In general, alpacas eat 1.5 percent of their body weight each day. Guanacos are herd animals and exhibit levels of cautiousness expected from wild animals. Guanacos can go without water for long persiods of time, they get their moisture and water from the plants they eat. Besides that, the guanaco is much too large for a fennec to kill and eat, What do patagonian Indians eat? Guanacos and vicunas are wild animals, but llamas and alpacas have been domesticated, like cats and dogs, and were probably bred from guanacos. The habitats of guanaco stretch from the south of Peru to Tierra del Fuego – these … The vicuña is considered more delicate and gracile than the guanaco, and smaller.A key distinguishing element of morphology is the better-developed incisor roots for the guanaco. When threatened by predators, guanacos tend … Full-grown guanacos weigh about 250 pounds (113 kg). Guanacos are herbivores that eat grasses, shrubs, lichens, succulents, cacti, and flowers. Female guanacos achieve sexual maturity the age of 2 years old and mate from the age of 3. While reproductive groups tend to remain small, often containing no more than 10 adults, bachelor herds may contain as many as 50 males. They remain with their group until they are about 11 to 15 months old, at which time the adult male usually forces them out. They have long necks, slender limbs, and rounded muzzles. According to the Alpaca Owners Association, a 125-lb. The main reason for its previous name was because scientists had previously thought that the alpacas and the llamas originated from the guanacos, hence the genus Lama. Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, Gobierno de Chile. (57 kg) animal only eats around 2 lbs. Mating season occurs between November and February,[5] during which males often fight violently to establish dominance and breeding rights. The word guanaco itself comes from wanaku, the name of this animal in Quechua. On average, they eat about 5 to 7 pounds (2 to 4 kg) of meat per day, only about a quarter of what they catch, he said. Besides that, the guanaco is much too large for a fennec to kill and eat, What do patagonian Indians eat? They have longer heads than the similar but more delicate vicuña. They can live at elevations from sea-level to over 4,500 meters. Guanacos are polygynous animals and only the dominant male of any herd is able to mate with the females. Some live in the Atacama Desert, where it might not rain for 50 years. (Their wild relatives are guanacos and vicuñas). As herbivores, alpacas only eat vegetation. Click here to learn more about what alpaca’s eat. The guanaco survives because it eats very little grass, but they are also able to eat bushes, whereas cattle do not, they graze only grass. When they feel threatened, guanacos alert the herd to flee with a high-pitched, bleating call. Filete de Guanaco (Guanaco Filet): If you like your meat, ‘Filete de Guanaco’ is the dish for you. How Do Alpacas Hunt? They eat mostly grass, but their diets can also include leaves wood, bark or stems. [15] They are also excellent swimmers. [20] Chulengos are able to walk immediately after birth. Guanacos travel in herds for safety in avoiding predators. Guanacos can go without water for long periods of time, they get their moisture and water from the plants they eat. What do Guanaco eat? In some areas, they eat just a few species of plants, while in other areas they eat numerous kinds. Unlike other grazers, alpacas don't eat much. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11186/0. Alpacas primarily eat grass or grass hay. Their feeding strategy includes both grazing for grasses and browsing on leaves and shrubs. (Their wild relatives are guanacos and vicuñas). 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