- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold guanaco, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the guanaco
The guanaco is a wild South American camelid, closely related to the domestic llama, that lives on steppes, scrublands and mountains from the Peruvian altiplano to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Adults stand 1.0 to 1.3 m at the shoulder and weigh 90 to 140 kg. Herds usually consist of one male with several females and their young, while bachelor males form separate groups. Guanacos graze on grasses, shrubs, lichens and cacti and can run at 56 km/h over rough ground. Some live in the Atacama Desert, surviving on moisture from coastal fog.
Guanaco facts
- Their blood holds about four times as many red blood cells as human blood.
- Some guanacos survive in parts of the Atacama Desert that have had no rain for over 50 years.
- They can run at 56 km/h and are excellent swimmers.
- The guanaco's thick neck skin protects it from predator attacks.
Where to see guanaco in the U.S.
5 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding guanaco by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
California· 2
Idaho· 1
Louisiana· 1
New Jersey· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
