The most prized fibre in the world comes from this elegant Andean creature - our printable vicuna mask celebrates the most refined member of the camelid family! The vicuna is the wild ancestor of the alpaca, living in the high Andes of South America at altitudes where most animals struggle to survive. With that slender, graceful build and gentle expression, this mask is a beautiful and unusual choice. Perfect for South American animals school plays, World Book Day, and birthday parties.

The vicuna has one of the most extraordinary conservation recovery stories in South America - hunted almost to extinction by the 1960s, strict protection has allowed populations to recover from 6,000 to over 350,000 individuals. A brilliant conservation success story to explore alongside the mask. Every mask comes with a full colour version AND a black and white line art version for colouring in.

5 Interesting Facts About Vicunas!

Vicuna fibre is the most expensive natural textile in the world - a single vicuna produces only about 250 grams of usable fibre per year, and a high-quality vicuna coat can cost over £20,000.
They live at altitudes of 3,500–5,750 metres in the Andes - their blood contains an unusually high concentration of haemoglobin, allowing them to absorb oxygen efficiently in the thin mountain air.
Vicunas are the wild ancestors of alpacas - they were domesticated by the Inca around 6,000 years ago to produce the alpaca, which can be sheared annually. Wild vicunas are only sheared every two years at traditional ceremonies called chaku.
The Inca considered vicuna sacred - their fibre was reserved exclusively for royalty, and wearing vicuna wool was a privilege of the Inca emperor. Killing a vicuna was punishable by death.
They communicate using a complex range of postures and a soft alarm whistle - when a male spots danger, a short sharp whistle sends the whole herd running in a coordinated flight response.

Printable Vicuna Mask

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