Use of Vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) and Guanacos (Lama guanicoe) in Andean countries: linking community-based conservation initiatives with international markets

LICHTENSTEIN, G

Viena

Simposio; The relevance of community-based natural resource management to the conservation and sustainable use of CITES-listed species in exporting countries; 2011

Minsterio de Agricultura y Foresteria de Austria y Comisión Europea

Vicuñas (Vicugna vicuguna) and guanacos (Lama guanicoe) are among the few native large herbivores that inhabit South America and the most abundant free-ranging ungulates to inhabit the continent’s deserts and high plateau scrublands and grasslands. As with most wild ungulates, they overlap their range with domestic livestock resulting in a conflict for the use of rangelands between local livelihoods and conservation. These wild camelids share a very peculiar feature: an extremely fine fibre that can be obtained through life shearing without the need of killing the individuals. Both species suffered a dramatic decline since the time of the Spanish conquest. Vicuñas have the finest animal fiber in the world and were persecuted and hunted almost to the verge of extinction to obtain the entire pelt that was processed and sold in Europe. In the case of guanaco, competition with sheep for forage and water and unsustainable hunting were key elements in the decline of populations. The recovery of both species was addressed through an effective policy framework, which shifted, as populations increased, from strict protection to sustainable use. CITES had a key role to play together with the Vicuña Convention and national laws and regulations. The rationale for vicuña and guanaco conservation through sustainable use is that commercial utilization of fiber obtained from live-shorn individuals will generate sufficient economic benefits to outweigh the costs of conservation, and contribute to community development and poverty alleviation. However, while conservation efforts have been extremely successful, the socio-economic achievements have thus far proved modest. Most such benefits are being captured by traders and international textile companies, rather than by local communities. In the case of the vicuña, the high market value has attracted a number of groups interested in a “productive agenda”. This threatens the conservation of this wild species, the exclusive rights of Andean communities and could undermine the spirit of the Vicuña Convention. In the case of guanacos, the lack of an open established market for the fiber leads to a further replacement of guanacos for sheep and an increase in poaching. This threatens not only the conservation of the species but also causes further desertification in an already degraded area. Trade links need to be developed to help redirect a fairer and more equitable proportion of benefits from vicuña and guanaco fiber to local people in order to increase incentives for conservation and address local development.