ABSTRACT
Vicuña management by Andean communities is one of the few success stories about international conservation. The species has not only recovered from the brink of extinction, but also ancient traditions were restored along with it. Vicuñas, Vicugna vicugna , are wild South American camelids that roam in the Puna and Altiplano of the high Andean ecoregions in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru which is situated between 3,500 and 5,000 metres above sea level. The vicuña’s highly prized fleece has been both its greatest asset and its biggest downfall. In this chapter, first, we provide a historical background of the decommonisation process of vicuñas and their near extinction that occurred following the Spanish Conquest in the Andean Region. Second, we analyse their recent commonisation led by the Indigenous communities living in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, including the enabling conditions, and the resulting socio-political, cultural, economic and ecological benefits that are derived by the communities involved.
