Social group dynamics and composition of managed wild vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna vicugna) in Jujuy, Argentina

ARZAMENDIA, YANINA; CARBAJO, ANÍBAL E.; VILÁ, BIBIANA

JOURNAL OF ETHOLOGY

SPRINGER TOKYO

Lugar: Tokyo; Año: 2018

0289-0771

AbstractThe vicuña is a high Andean wild camelid that lives year-long in groups. We analyzed the social organization of 98 markedvicuñas after capture and live shearing, focusing on group composition, spatial patterns, territoriality and habitat use. Thesocial units analyzed were families, bachelor groups and solo animals. Location fixes of 54 males and 36 females were registeredover a 2-year period, and home range was estimated. All females belonged to family groups, and 8?12 month yearlingschanged their home ranges prior to first reproduction at 2 years. Female yearlings dispersed to a new family group, whilemale yearlings dispersed to a bachelor group. Solitary males appeared during the interval between leaving bachelor or familygroups, and vice versa. Our study showed that vicuña polygyny was based on female grazing area requirements. Femalesthat stayed with the same males were defined as loyal, and had a mean 18.9 ha home range. Females that changed both toa different family and male; and grazed over the same home range size, were considered disloyal. Family groups selectedthe habitat that had a low stratum and the highest coverage of palatable plants, while bachelors used their habitat randomly.Keywords Vicugna vicugna · Social groups · Territorially · Home range · Wildlife management