ABOUT GUANACO

Guanaco (Lama guanaco) are wild South American camelids found in living in highly fragmented populations across the arid and mountainous regions of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru from sea-level to 4000 metres. Due to hunting and extensive livestock grazing  guanaco are now an endangered species. Of a pre-hispanic population of 30-50 million currently just 600,000 survive - 70% of these in Argentine Patagonia.

 Guanaco at Tippens Wood ( April 2012)

Guanaco are fine-boned, of striking and streamlined appearance. They are graceful and energetic in motion and can run at f 50-60 kph even over rough terrain. They are excellent swimmers and can easily jump over 1.5 m fences. High blood haemoglobin levels allow them to survive at high altitudes. Guanacos are versatile grazing and browsing herbivores. Where diet is unrestricted, research shows wild guanacos eat about 60% grasses with about 40% of their diet from browsing.

Like other camelids, guanacos are induced ovulators with a gestation period of 11.5 months and produce a single baby (chulengo) born annually, usually during daylight.

GUANACO FIBRE

Guanaco fibre is one of the finest natural fibres in the world. It is second only to that from vicuña in softness and fineness. 

Guanacos have a double coat -  an overcoat of darker, tan, brown or cinnamon-coloured coarse fibre and guard hair and a superfine, uniform, pale camel-coloured undercoat averaging just 14-18 microns. To separate the very valuable  downy undercoat part of the fleece and reveal its luxurious handle the fibre has to be de-haired.  The end product is then similar to that from Kashmir goats (cashmere), which has a similar micron diameter.

                                                 Tippens Wood Deen (2012)