These are vicunas, in a corral in Peru.
Turns out they are raised by Peruvians for their wool. For years they were endangered, as vicuna wool became trendy for a while. It's used to create the most expensive fabric in the world: super light, super warm, and super expensive. The wool is finer than cashmere. Poachers relentlessly bagged the animals for ages, then the Peruvian government stepped in and said no more of this and set up a program to save them. For a while the fabric was banned outright; now the animals are thriving as livestock and the fabric is back on the market.
Why do they produce the finest wool? Because they adapted to the high elevations of the Andes, so they needed a really warm coat.
07-11-2003, 12:58 PM
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