Vicuna wool is the finest and rarest natural fiber in the world. What if rural villagers were declared the custodians of the vicunas that lived in their region and were granted the rights to shear and sell fibre from the animals? The raw fibre will sell for between $300 and $450 per kilo, according to "Trade in vicuna fibre: implications for conservation and rural livelihoods, co-authored by Alexander Kasterine and Gabriela Lichtenstein and published by the International Trade Centre. Villages earn 2-6% of the price of finished vicuna products too low in the opinion of advocates who are looking for ways to add value at the grassroots level. Vicua: Peru's Golden Fleece They do not permit other individuals into the herd. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the altitude of Pampa Galeras National Reserve. The doe-eyed creatures, which inhabit the chilly Andean plateaus, produce a fleece so fine that it was considered to be cloth of gold. [citation needed], Vicuas live in family-based groups made up of a male, 5 to 15 females, and their young. In a windowless laboratory in downtown Baltimore, some tiny, translucent fish larvae are swimming about in glass-walled tanks. Simply call us on 770-458-8682, or email service@hktclothiers.com, to book your free style consultation. This compares to 22 million pounds of cashmere. Their fur is light colored, and incredibly soft. This equates to an off-the-peg sports coat costing upwards of $20,000, and a made-to-measure suit starting at $40,000. So if we wish to protect a species we should be working out how to provide the incentives to farm said species. Not for their products but just because a reasonably large number of people think it's really cool to have a tiger around the place. Vicuna - Land Mammal - The Vicuna - Ground Mammals - It's Nature Vicunas live no lower than altitudes of 11,000 ft. above sea level. It isn't a great leap of logic to think that there would be more elephants, rhinos and tigers around if. Jefferson Farms Natural Fibers. They inhabit grasslands and savannas with few trees or bushes. It was on the cusp of disappearing. The slaughter continued unabated for centuries. By the 1960s, humans had nearly hunted these mammals to extinction. Vicugna - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics Save up to 70% on Alpaca Sweaters, Coats & More - USE COUPON: MOM. During the day, they graze in the grasslands, and at night they return to their sleeping grounds to rest. This was so cherished that in Incan society only royalty was permitted to wear clothing made from . Like the guanacos, they frequently lick calcareous stones and rocks, which are rich in salt, and also drink salt water. Vicuna - Meaning, Characteristics, Distribution and Animal Welfare