camelid

The vicuna is a wild (and graceful) relative of the llama, populating the higher altitude regions of South America, particularly the Andes mountains, and is coveted for its fine, silky wool. They are believed to be the wild ancestors of the now domesticated alpacas, which are also revered for their soft furry coats. The vicuna’s wool is extremely prized, primarily for three reasons: firstly, they produce extremely small amounts of fine wool; secondly, the animal can only be shorn every three years and must be caught from the wild; and finally, the silky texture of this wool cannot be found anywhere else in the world. For this reason, the vicuna appears on Peru’s national coat of arms! The Perplexing Nazca