ABSTRACT
People herd camelids in the Central Andean Highlands of South America, where the elevation can reach nearly 5,000 m above sea level. Andean pastoralism is similar to that in the Arctic because it is practiced in extreme environments. In addition, livestock live in the same area as their ancestral species, and herders have a different relationship with each species of animal, similar to that in the Arctic. Both pastoralisms have in common the fact that they have been excluded from the general theory of anthropology. However, recent studies have challenged leading anthropological theories and attempted to develop a more comprehensive theory of pastoralism. This chapter examines whether the new theory of pastoralism can be applied to Andean pastoralism. It examines how herders and camelids coexist in the Central Andean Highlands, how the relationship between them has changed in the modern context, and how domesticated and wild camelids are managed. Furthermore, it re-examines how livestock are distinguished from wild animals in Andean pastoralism.
