Guanaco female and newborn baby in grassland, La Pampa Province, Argentina

© Gabriel Rojo/Minden Picture

Guanaco mother and baby

In today's image, we see a guanaco mother and baby. These members of the camel family are related to other lamoids such as the vicuña, alpaca and llama, and spend their days roaming the vast grasslands of La Pampa, Argentina. Just like a human mom, a guanaco female is fiercely protective of her child, also known as 'chulengo.' They give birth to chulengos, who are born after a gestation period of about 11 months. At birth, chulengos are precocial, meaning they are relatively mature and mobile, able to stand and walk shortly after they’re born. Adults stand around 110 centimetres tall, weighing approximately 90 kilograms. After a year of wandering along with the herd, the male guanaco is chased off by the dominant male of the herd. As we celebrate the natural beauty and significance of the guanaco, let us also recognise the importance of safeguarding their habitats and ensuring the continued conservation of this iconic species for future generations.