Bibiana Vilá

Habitat use by vicuña Vicugna vicugna in Laguna Pozuelos Reserve, Jujuy, Argentina

Vicuna Vicugna vicugna are an emblematic species of one of the major arid ecosystems of the neotropics: the puna or altiplano. Excessive commercial hunting of vicuna for their valuable fleece in the past caused a severe decline in the population, with the vicuna almost becoming extinction by the mid 20th century. Effective protection resulted in the recovery of some populations and, recently, limited vicuna exploi- tation has been allowed. Research is urgently required to underpin the design of the management systems used for this exploitation. We present the result of a 2-year study on habitat utilization of vicuna in Laguna de Pozuelos UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Argentina. Vicuna did not use the study area homogeneously but preferred vegetation communities dominated by grasses (known locally as pajonal and esporal) and with high overall plant cover. Vicuna were less selective in 2003, when overall habitat quality decreased, than in 2002. This change is predicted by habitat selection theory. We also found that members of family groups spend more time foraging than members of non-reproductive groups. Solitary vicuna spend more time standing up than members of groups, consistent with the observation that herding behaviour is related to protection against predators. Heterogeneous use and habitat selectivity suggest that exploitation of vicuna needs to take spatial behaviour into account in the establishment of the optimal location of capturing sites.

Summer and autumn activity patterns in the Vicuña

We studied the activity patterns of vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) in Aprapampa INTA station, during February (summer) and April (autumn) 1988. The station is located in a dry grassland more than 3,500 meters above sea level in the Puna region of northwestern Argentina. We recorded the number of animals foraging, moving, resting, standing and drinking during daylight hours using an instantaneous scanning sampling method. Vicunas spent most of their diurnal time in both seasons foraging, but they foraged more (P < 0.004) and rested less (P < 0.001) in autumn than in summer. In summer, vicunas had 2 peaks of foraging activity one early in the morning and the other in the evening. These peaks were not evident in autumn. There was a daily midday peak in the use of water sources in both months that seemed to be related to the diel climatic fluctuations.

Spacing patterns within groups in Vicuñas, in relation to sex and behaviour

The inter‐individual distances between vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) group members were studied in Abrapampa Field Station, Northwestern Argentina. Vicuna social organization is based on family (one male, 3–4 females and calves) and bachelor groups. Spacing patterns between members of family and bachelor groups were studied. Distances between females were usually constant, ranging from two to three meters. Distance between territorial males and their nearest female were always greater than those between females. Males were furthest from their females when they walked and ran, closer when they were alert, and were closest to their females during maintenance activities (grazing and lying down). Distances between bachelors were the shortest. Bachelors stayed closer together when moving and alert than during other activities, reflecting their response to harassment by territorial males. Calves formed “clubs”; in which the distances between calves were shorter than the distance between them and the nearest adult.

Vicugna habitat use and interactions with domestic ungulates in Jujuy, Northwest Argentina

Abstract Worldwide vicugna numbers are slowly recovering after the implementation of conservation measures in several areas of the Andean Puna. Amongst some communities, vicugnas are sustainably managed through captures, shearing, and release schemes. In this study, we explored habitat use and interactions between vicugnas and domestic livestock in Jujuy, Northwest Argentina. We measured the habitat selectivity of vicugna by evaluating the relationship between the availability and its use of vegetation. We estimated the extent and overlap of habitat niche, as well as the foraging effort of vicugnas on the basis of their individual behaviour. Vicugnas and domestic livestock were highly selective in their use of land. They also had similar foraging preferences, grazing rather on the mixed steppe grasses and grasslands that offered greater grass cover. The distribution of vicugna in relation to domestic animals differed according to species and density. With mean density of llamas, vicugnas showed mixed herds but with any other livestock and greater densities, they were segregated. In mixed grazing, when vicugnas engaged with llamas, no behavioural interaction or competition was observed. The presence of herders with dogs was the main stress factor for vicugnas. Here we discuss the importance of a multi-specific management approach.