The Wild Andes

The Altiplano sits at more than 12,000 feet above sea level - a vast, treeless plateau with dangerously thin air, toxic soda lakes and weather that can turn at the drop of a hat. Facing conditions like these, only a few remarkable animals have developed the adaptations needed to survive in the Central Highlands. One such animal is the vicuña. These distant cousins of alpacas have evolved the finest fur on the planet and the most oxygen-rich blood of any known creature, ideal for enduring nights of sub-zero temperatures and breathtakingly high altitudes. Their world is not carefree, however, as they must be on constant alert for nearby foxes and pumas searching for their next kill.