Guanaco management in Patagonian rangelands.

BALDI, R.; NOVARO, A. J.; FUNES, M. C.; WALKER, R. S.; FERRANDO, P.; FAILLA, M. ; CARMANCHAHAI, P.D.

Conservation Science and Practice: Conserving Rangelands.

Blackwell Publishing.

Año: 2010; p. 266 - 290

The guanaco is one of four South American camelid species, the only ungulate to inhabit the Patagonian steppe from the end of the Pleistocene until the introduction of domestic livestock. Although guanacos are still numerous and widely distributed, they occupy today only 40% of their original range, distributed in small, relatively isolated populations. With ranching monopolizing Patagonia’s most productive areas – and the associated competition with sheep, hunting and habitat modification – guanacos have been relegated to marginal lands with poor vegetation. Although still seen as a pest by many sheep ranchers, the high value of guanaco fibre on the international market has influenced some landowners whose properties harbour high densities of the animal. Attempts to capture, shear and release wild guanacos started in the late 1990s and have grown rapidly since 2003. We present here an evaluation of managing the guanaco for conservation throughout Patagonia as a means to restore ecosystem functionality and connectivity among wild guanaco populations.