Two guanacos, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
© Floris van Breugel/NPL/Minden Pictures
Attitude and altitude
Pictured here today are the guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. These herbivores may look like llamas in disguise, but they're truly wild at heart unlike their domesticated cousins. Found roaming the Andes mountains and Patagonian plains, these long-legged wanderers are South America's answer to the camel family—minus the humps but with double the resilience. These adaptable creatures can thrive in extreme environments, from the dry Atacama Desert to the chilly, windswept plains of Patagonia. In fact, their name even comes from the Quechua word 'huanaco,' meaning a wild animal or an animal that runs fast. And run they do, at up to 35 miles per hour!
The guanaco's survival skills are impressive. They can live at altitudes over 4,000 metres and survive on minimal water, getting most of their moisture from the plants they eat. Guanacos have a double-layered coat of fur that is prized for its soft, warm feel and is used to make luxury fabrics.