Habitat use by guanacos (Lama guanicoe, Camelidae) in northern Patagonia (Mendoza, Argentina)

Abstract

Strategies of habitat use of the guanaco were analyzed in early and late summer, when parturition and lactation increase nutritional needs and predation risk. The daily distribution of guanacos was followed by scan‐sampling, relief and soil were measured in each habitat, and vegetation was analyzed by the point‐quadrat method. Guanacos showed a selective habitat use, preferring open areas with grasslands, gentle terrain and low hiding cover. The density of guanacos was positively associated with the intensively eaten grass Panicum urvilleanum, and negatively associated with rocky soils, high shrublands and avoided plants. A weakening of the selective habitat use occurred when the abundance of guanacos increased in the study area during late summer, ceasing avoidance of poor and risky habitats.

Keywords:

• arid environments
• habitat selection
• spatial patterns
• South American camelids
• ungulates

Acknowledgments

We thank R. Quintana for his enriching comments on the manuscript, A. Scolaro for his inestimable assistance in multivariate analyses, R. González del Solar and G. Videla for field assistance, M. I. Rosi for laboratory assistance, N. Horak for his assistance in the English translation, and A. Rocher, owner of “Ea. El Peralito”, for the kind hospitality. Financial support was provided by CONICET (PID 3‐387200).