The smallest member of the camel family, the vicuña is closely related to the llama and the alpaca. The vicuña has good eyesight and quite good hearing but it has a poor sense of smell. learning colors! As well, it is interesting to know why Salvadorans tell us “guanacos” and the explanation origin of it. Fun Facts for Kids. Because guanacos remain widespread in South America, they are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. 11. Read on to learn more about some different fun facts about these mammals. Its neck is long. An adult alpaca stands at about 3 feet (0.91 meters) at the shoulder and 4.5 to 5 feet (1.37 to 1.52 meters) from the toes to the tips of … Guanacos are one of the most adaptable animals when it comes to climate conditions and shelter requirements. Guanacos can go without water for long periods of time, they get their moisture and water from the plants they eat. Guanacos are related to camels, as are vicunas, llamas, and alpacas. Once the young males reach five years of age, they will go off and try to find their own herd. A guanaco’s typical lifespan is 20 to 25 years. Male guanacos are larger than the females. Scientific Name: Lama guanicoe; Common Name: Guanaco; Basic Animal Group: Mammal; Size: 3 feet 3 inches - 3 feet 11 inches at the shoulder; Weight: 200-310 pounds; Lifespan: 15-20 years; Diet: Herbivore Both species are believed to have been domesticated from their wild relatives, the vicuña and guanaco. 23. All guanacos have pelage that is light to dark reddish brown, with white countershading on the chest, belly, and legs, and gray or black coloration of the head. The ever-practical guanaco has even adapted for efficient eating. If the young male is unsuccessful in finding a family, they will join or form a bachelor group, which can consist of as many as 50 unattached males. 25 Interesting And Awesome Facts About Frank Dillane, 27 Fun And Fascinating Facts About Wobbuffet From Pokemon, 12 Interesting And Fun Facts About November, 30 Incredible And Amazing Facts About Ferrari, 30 Fun And Interesting Facts About Fortnite, 18 Awesome And Fun Facts About Telescopes, 18 Amazing And Fun Facts About The Milky Way, 18 Incredible And Unbelievable Facts About Comets. They are weaned at 6 to 8 months and may be forced to leave the group at 11 to 15 months old. Standing less than 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall at the shoulder, guanacos have a slender body, long legs, and a long neck. The gestation period is 11.5 months, and a single offspring, with birth weight about 10% of maternal weight, is born to each breeding female every year. [1] Like other lamoids, alpacas are slender-bodied animals with a long neck and legs, a short tail, a small head, and large, pointed ears. That´s why some consider this as a negative name. Fun Facts for Kids. camel! 2. Guanaco fiber is particularly prized for its soft, warm feel and is found in luxury fabric. however, it can survive in cold climates, too. The gaunaco (Lama guanicoe) is a South American camelid and the wild ancestor of the llama.The animal gets its name from the Quechua word huanaco.. Fast Facts: Guanaco. Let us know if you’d like to see more guanaco photos! They’re fast animals and can reach reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour when they run. Interesting facts guanaco – habitat, diet, size and species with images. There are lots of fun facts about the guanaco. facts for kids! 7 fun facts about camels! They will usually spit at someone if they are irritated or annoyed with them. They also have padded feet that allow for easy movement across gravel. Male guanacos are larger than the females. All guanacos have a thick, wooly coat that can be light brown, brownish yellow, or a rusty red. There are two breeds of alpaca: the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca. Their stomach has three chambers, and they are ruminants, like cows. 14. Here are five interesting facts about them: These cute animals grow up to 1.6 metres long, making them the smallest member of the camelid… Garden Photo World/David C Phillips/Getty Images. Now take away a hump (or two). Unlike camels, lamoids do not have the characteristic camel humps; they are slender-bodied animals with Body coloration provides camouflage (color of … Guanaco, (Lama guanacoe), South American member of the camel family, Camelidae (order Artiodactyla), closely related to the alpaca, llama, and vicuña, which are known collectively as lamoids. Andean peoples raise them for wool, meat, and skin and also used them as pack animals. The Guanaco can usually be found in groups consisting of 10 females, a dominant male and their young. This can also be very expensive because the animals can only have their wool removed every 3 years. Its blood can carry more oxygen than other mammals, which helps the guanaco function well at altitudes of up to 4,000 meters (13,120 feet). Their coat is usually light brown or reddish brown in color. Their hairs are comparable to some of the best cashmere in the world. Several native groups in the Andes and southern parts of South America used to consider guanacos as their prime source of protein. 22. This animal is the National symbol of Peru. 12. The guanaco, from the Quechua word huanaco, is a relative of the llama and largest of the wild camelid species. They’re herbivores, which means that their diet consists of plants. The overgrazing by sheep during winter seasons often creates food shortages for guanacos. The guanaco can spit up to 6 feet, and it rarely misses its target. ... FUN FACTS. The vicuña has the honor to be pictured on the crest of the Peruvian flag. This allows them to get the most nutrients from the plants they eat. 6. They are 4 to 7 feet (120 to 225 cm) long and weigh 121 to 143 lbs. Required fields are marked *. It is closely related to the vicuña, guanaco, and llama (known collectively as lamoids). The Guanaco can usually be found in groups consisting of 10 females, a dominant male and their young. Their closest relatives are camels, llamas and alpacas. The native people of South America shear wild Vicunas for their fine wool. 1. desert! The guanaco is surprisingly graceful in its movements, and is capable of running at speeds of up to 56 km/h (35 mph). Take a look below for 25 more fun and fascinating facts about guanacos. Vicuña Facts. Female guanacos remain pregnant for 11 months and will deliver one offspring, which is called a “chulengo.” The offspring is able to walk from the moment it’s born. 2. By Maria Bastida . They’re known to make high pitched sounds, snorts and shrieks when they’re warning other members of their group about potential danger. See what I did there- llong, llama;… Average amount of fiber produced: 4 to 8 pounds of fiber per year. There are two breeds of alpaca: the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca. 21. on average. Their body is covered with a thick and wooly coat. Given the DNA evidence, it is now generally thought that alpacas have descended from vicuñas thousands of years ago. They are specially suited to life in the cold, high altitudes of the Andes mountain range, which stretches across the South American nations of Peru, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia. The grandfather of one of my best friends from school used to have an alpaca farm, so today I want to write about one of their closest wild relatives, the vicuna. A patch of longer hair covers the animal's throat and chest, keeping it warm when it rests on the ground. Guanacos live in herds composed of females, their young, and a dominant male. Bachelor males form separate herds. While this quiz isn’t meant to be serious, all of the information contained in it is accurate. While reproductive groups tend to remain small, often containing no more than 10 adults, bachelor herds may contain as many as 50 males. 13. All’s Fair In Love and War. Since they live at high elevations they usualy graze on grasses, leaves and buds. The alpaca and the llama were both apparently domesticated several thousand years ago by the Indians of the Andes Mountains of South America. Though the general appearance is similar in all populations, overall coloration can vary somewhat by region, with northern populations tending to be relatively light. Everyone knows what a llama looks like, but what are guanacos? VICUÑA FACTS. The hot-spring hotel sits at the foot of the stunning Akaishi Mountains and has been in operation since it was founded by Fujiwara Mahito in 705 A.D. Guanaco fiber is prized for its soft, warm feel and is often found in luxury fabric. While llamas and alpacas come in many colors and coat patterns, guanacos range from light to … sock puppet! An average vicuña measures 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) in length and weighs 88 to 110 pounds (40 to 5… Description of the Guanaco Like most species, the wild counterpart of the domestic llama is smaller and leaner than their farm-raised cousins. Alpacas are fun animals, so what could be more fun than getting weirdly competitive with your friends and loved ones about who knows more random trivia about them. They are also excellent swimmers. Two padded toes on each foot help with footing on rocky trails or gravel slopes. It’s also used as a sign of aggression during fights. The position of their tail, whether it’s pointing up or down, lets the other members of the group know about upcoming danger. This is one of the main reasons for guanaco deaths in the wild during the winter season. Well here is a fun list of facts to impress your friends with at your next social gathering: Llamas vs. Alpacas: What's the difference?! They can be found all over South America, in places such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecuador. By com… Fun information and facts! It can reach height of 3.5 to 4 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds. Some guanacos live in the Atacama Desert, where it hasn’t rained in the past 50 years. Like the camel, the guanaco has padded toes that help with its footing on slippery surfaces such as gravel slopes. The llama, and its smaller cousin the alpaca, which is used mostly for its wool, are completely domesticated animals, and are not found in the wild. 15. Manuel ROMARIS/Getty Images. Facts About The Guanaco (A Picture Book For Kids 74) - Kindle edition by Strattin, Lisa. Their coat is usually light brown or reddish brown in color. Take a look below for 25 more fun and fascinating facts about guanacos. One of the cool El Salvador fun facts: Salvadorans are also called Guanacos (formely called as “Guahanicos, after time it became Guanacos”). facts for kids! Did you know that? The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is one of two domesticated camelids in South America, the other being the larger llama.Alpacas are descended from wild vicuñas, while llamas are descended from wild guanacos. We’ve had a lot of fun observing the guanacos that hang out around our camp, especially the extremely cute young ones. Another branch of the family tree is the alpaca, which is also a type of domesticated guanaco raised for its soft wool. As with llamas, guanacos, and vicuñas, baby alpacas are … They have big hearts. 8. They stand about 3.5 ft. tall at the shoulder and weigh about 250 lbs. The guanaco’s soft wool is valued second only to that of the vicuña. The vicuña has a small head in comparison with its body, and its eyes and ears are small and prominent. These guanaco facts include its diet, habitat, and conservation status. Occasionally, they even reside in temperate forest settings, particularly during the cold winter months. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Guanacos are not picky eaters, they can survive on harsh brush and grasses in the wild. Facts About The Guanaco (A Picture Book For Kids) They can get by without water for long periods of time, obtaining moisture from the plants they eat. Guanacos tend to inhabit savannas, shrublands, grasslands, deserts, forests and rocky areas. Guanacos are the mostly widely distributed of the four species of lamoids and they occupy the most diverse range of habitats. The guanaco is the wild ancestor of the llama. Copyright © 2020 Tons Of Facts. They communicate using different sounds. 3. Guanacos have a calm attitude, so people started to domesticate them for use as pack animals. These wild, camel-like creatures are notable for their elegant and dainty physical exterior, with narrow legs and necks. In captivity, the longest known lifespan is 33.7 years. The Vicuña is considered to be a wild type of Camelid. A teaspoon of guanaco blood contains about 68 billion red blood cells – four times that of a human. Although the species is still considered wild, there are around 300 guanaco in US zoos and around 200 registered in private herds. Like cows, they also chew a … They are very closely related to both Llamas and Alpacas. The primary predators of guanacos are pumas; other predators include jaguars, and foxes. Llamas have llong, banana-shaped ears where alpacas have short, spear-shaped ears resembling an "A." Newborns can stand five minutes after birth and begin to follow their mother immediately. Finally, shrink it down in size and place it in South America, living as far south as Tierra del Fuego. They are prevalent in both semi-arid and dry environments. Guanacos live in parts of South America where little vegetation grows and similar to camels, they don’t actually need to drink water – instead, they get all the moisture they require from the grass and plants that make up their diet. Alpaca Trivia Quiz. Guanacos are medium sized animals. Guanacos have been found living up to 4,000 metres above sea level. They also use feces for marking their territory. They’re also pretty good swimmers, which is essential for their survival as some of their predators can’t swim. 10. In Chile, hunting the guanacos is allowed only in Tierra del Fuego, where the population isn’t classified as endangered. If the young male is unsuccessful in finding a family, they will join or form a bachelor group, which can consist of as many as 50 unattached males. A young guanaco born just a few months ago. They can live between 15 to 20 years in the wild, and up to 26 years in captivity due to better living conditions. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Facts About The Guanaco (A Picture Book For Kids 74). 4. The average adult stands 3 feet 3 inches to 3 feet 11 inches tall at the shoulder, and weighs between 200 and 310 pounds. learning colors! Their mating season lasts from November to February, which are the summer months in South America. Contrary to the believe that the name Guanaco refers the animal from Peru, which is like a Camel. Picture a camel. November 5, 2010 by Morgan Ashley Parker. 17. They produce wool that is very fine. The young males join with other young bachelors; young females find other family groups to join. camel facts for kids. Species is still considered wild, and because of this they can be found all over America. Of their environment its eyes and ears are small and prominent, bleating.... In Yamanashi, Japan, holds the Guinness world Record for being the oldest hotel in the 50... 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