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Vicuna Article by: Potter, M. David School of Business, San Francisco State College, San Francisco, California. Publication year: 2014 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.731800 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.731800)

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• Bibliography • Additional Readings

A rare , Vicugna vicugna, the smallest member of the family , whose fiber is strong, resilient, and elastic, with exquisite fineness and beauty. The vicuna, or vicuña (see illustration), is found in an almost inaccessible area of the Andes Mountains in South America, at altitudes of 16,000–19,000 ft (4875–5800 m). The vicuna, one of the rarest of , is less than 3 ft (0.9 m) in height and weighs 75 –100 lb (34–45 kg). See also: (/content/alpaca/025200); Artiodactyla (/content/artiodactyla/053500); (/content/camel/104800); (/content/llama/387800); South America (/content/south-america/638200)

Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna). (Photo courtesy of Thom Quine)

A single animal yields only approximately 0.25 lb (0.11 kg) of hair; thus, 40 animals are required to provide enough hair for the average coat. To preserve the species, the governments of Peru and Bolivia have placed the vicuna under their protection. Attempts to domesticate this animal have not been successful, although efforts are still being made in Peru. The fiber of the vicuna is the softest and most delicate of the

http://www.accessscience.com/content/vicuna/731800 4/26/2016 Vicuna - AccessScience from McGraw-Hill Education Page 2 of 2

known animal fibers. However, it is strong for its weight, is resilient, and has a marked degree of elasticity and surface cohesion. It is used in costly suitings and overcoat fabrics. See also: Camel's hair (/content/camel-s-hair/104900); Endangered species (/content/endangered-species/757435); Natural fiber (/content/natural-fiber/444700); Wool (/content/wool/749200)

M. David Potter

Bibliography

I. J. Gordon (ed.), The Vicuña: The Theory and Practice of Community Based Wildlife Management, Springer, New York, 2009

D. W. Macdonald (ed.), The Encyclopedia of , Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2006

R. M. Nowak, Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed., Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 1999

C. T. Sahley, J. T. Vargas, and J. S. Valdivia, Biological sustainability of live shearing of vicuña in Peru, Conserv. Biol., 21:98–105, 2007 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00558.x (http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523­ 1739.2006.00558.x)

Additional Readings

D. Robson and C. Ekarius, The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: More than 200 Fibers from Animal to Spun Yarn, 3d ed., Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA, 2011

A. K. Shaw, J. L. Galaz, and P. A. Marquet, Population dynamics of the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna): Density- dependence, rainfall, and spatial distribution, J. ., 93(3):658–666, 2012 DOI: 10.1644/11-MAMM-A­ 257.1 (http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1644/11-MAMM-A-257.1)

Vicugna vicugna (http://www.ultimateungulate.com/artiodactyla/vicugna_vicugna.html)

Vicugna vicugna (IUCN) (http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/22956/0)

http://www.accessscience.com/content/vicuna/731800 4/26/2016