Bi-annual vicuna shearing
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Authors
Andy Heath
Issue Date
2015-11
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Agriculture , Economic Development , Sustainability
Alternative Title
Abstract
Apolobamba, Bolivia. Occassion of the bi-annual vicuna shearing. Vicuna are an endangered wild species of camelids, relatives of alpacas and llamas. They can run at speeds of up to 50 mph and struggle with surprising ferocity when cornered. They also have incredibly fine, but warm winter coats, which provide some of the most sought-after fibre in the world. Apolobamba is a national park in Bolivia – about 7 hours drive from La Paz. Practical Action's work includes monitoring glaciers to measure climate change and get an idea of its impact on the local environment, training and equipping park rangers and improving livelihoods of local people. As part of the livelihoods work, we have taught local people how to herd the vicuna and shear their coats before setting them free again. Previously, the people would capture and kill them, until environmental laws made this illegal – saving the vicuna from potential extinction, but at the same time, threatening the income of the local communities, who barely make enough to live on, even with the lucrative fibre. Their short, thick coats grow so slowly, vicuna are only herded and sheared once every two years. Another reason for this is because it also takes an immense effort to herd them from the introverted local communities. Political pressure, from our work has helped to influence the Bolivian Government to reduce taxes imposed on the fibre by regional and national governments. We have also helped arrange for all the communities in Apolobamba to sell their fibre from a single building on a single day. This means buyers from Europe and elsewhere no longer play one community off against another. And the presence of an experienced negotiator means they are no longer ripped off. Now a kilogram of fibre brings up to $350 and thanks to Practical Action, and the Bolivian government, everyone wins.