Guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile  Dec. 9, 2024

Prick up your ears and stretch your neck—let"s step into the world of guanacos. These creatures, part of the same family as camels, alpacas and llamas, are native to the rugged landscapes of South America. Standing around 110 centimetres tall and weighing up to 90 kilograms, guanacos travel in herds led by a dominant male, accompanied by females and their young. After a gestation period of around 11 months, females give birth to a single baby—known as a chulengo—which is able to stand and walk within an hour of birth. Their diet, consisting of grasses, shrubs and lichens, enables them to flourish in harsh, mountainous terrain. Guanaco"s soft, warm fur—first introduced for textile use in the mid-1900s—is highly prized. It is used to create luxury fabrics and is valued second only to vicuña wool across the Americas.

© Floris van Breugel/NPL/Minden Pictures

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