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Guanaco llama portrait

Guanaco

Darwin described the guanaco as 'an elegant animal, with long slender neck and fine legs' - a deserved compliment for this speedy, high Andes inhabitant. The guanaco is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic llama. It's surprisingly graceful and has been known to clock speeds of 56km per hour. Its blood can carry more oxygen than other mammals, which helps the guanaco function well at altitudes of up to 4,000m.

Scientific name: Lama guanicoe

Rank: Species

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Distribution

Map showing the distribution of the Guanaco taxa

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.

The Guanaco can be found in a number of locations including: South America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Guanaco distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Least Concern

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Stable

Year assessed: 2008

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is a camelid native to South America that stands between 1 and 1.2 metres (3 ft 3 in and 3 ft 10 in) at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg (200 lb). The colour varies very little (unlike the domestic llama), ranging from a light brown to dark cinnamon and shading to white underneath. Guanacos have grey faces and small straight ears. The name guanaco comes from the South American language Quechua word wanaku (old spelling, huanaco). Young guanacos are called chulengo(s).

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