Keynote: SUSTAINABLE USE PROGRAM OF WILD VICUÑAS

Sustainable use of wild species could become a good source of income and social commitment to local communities that have protected the vicuñas for decades. The program of sustainable use considers the chasing, rounding, capture and restraining of wild vicuñas for shearing, under animal welfare standards. The system of capture and release borrowed from Inca tradition and several modifications to minimize injuries and mortalities caused by the captures had been included. Time of capture, distance and herding time, captures facilities, restraint time and handling procedures were improved. Multiple Animal Welfare recommendations were suggested: the duration of the herding and longer restrain times should be minimized. Blindfolding animals for handling and the immediately transfers of the crias to a pre-release corral, were factors that should be regular practices. The objective of this work was to illustrate the capture, handling and release of wild vicuñas to collect the fiber and to check physiological and health status of the wild populations studied in Jujuy, Argentina.