Vicuñas and Viscachas
in the Andes (2001)
back to film archiveTrailer (5:15 min):
Buy complete film (44 min) at CPMedia
List of species:
Wild-Meerschweinchen, Cavia aperea tschudi; Wild cavy, Guinea pig; cuy (span.)
Haus-Meerschweinchen, Cavia aperea ; Domestic Guinea pig, cuy (span.)
Lama, Lama huanachos glama, Llama
Alpaka, Lama pacos, Alpaca
Guanako, Lama guanacoe, Guanaco
Wildkamel, Vicuña, Lama vicugna, Vicuña
Greisenhaupt-Kaktus, Tephrocactus kuehnrichianus
Kondor, Vultur gryphus, Andean Condor
Hasenmaus, Berg-Viscacha, Lagidium, Mountain Viscacha
Andenspecht, Soroplex rupicola, Andean Flicker
Sierrafink (Strauchämmerling), Rhopospina fruticeti, Mourning Sierra-Finch
Olivbrust-Gilbfink, Sicalis olivascens, Greenish Yellow-Finch
Estella-Andenkolibri, Oreotrochilus estella, Andean Hillstar, Colibrí Puneño (span.)
Riesenkolibri, Patagona gigas, Giant Hummingbird, Colibrí Gigante (span.)
Baum-Espeletie, Espeletia moritziana, Moritz´s Espeletie, Frailejón de Moritz (span.)
Paramoveilchen, Viola obliquifolia, Andean-Violet, Violeta Paramera (span.)
Andenaster, Senecio formosus,
Helmkolibri, Oxypogon guerinii, Bearded Helmetcrest, Colibrí Chivíto (span.)
Oktober-Espeletie, Espeletia schultzii, Frailejón Octubre (span.)
Morgenammer, Brachyspiza capensis, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Correporsuelo (span.) Punabussard, Buteo poecilochrus, Gurney´s Hawk
Puna-Ibis (Schmalschnabelsichler), Plegadis ridwayi, Puna-Ibis
Andengans, Chloephaga melanoptera; Andean Goose
Chile-Flamingo, Phoenicopterus chilensis; Chilean Flamingo
Azorella, Azorella yarita, La yareta (span.)
Grauralle, Pardirallus sanguinolentus; Plumbeous Rail
About the film:
Llamas and alpacas are types of pets which were bred from the wild camels Guanako and Vicuña already at the time of the Incas.
The small Vicuñas now only exist in the few protected biotopes of Peru, namely in the “Puna” –a treeless high mountain steppe located at over 4000 meters of height. These small wild camels of the Andes, with the finest and most valuable wool in the world, tease each other and play tag at a fast pace over hedge and ditch, while giving us impressive pictures of their elegance and grace.
The Giant Hummingbird “Patagona gigas” (the gigantic) is not any slower or any less agile than the wild camels. It lives at just below 4000 meters of height in the high valley of the Andes “Cañon de Colca” – together with the Mountain Viscachas and Guinea pigs. The thick fur of this chinchilla relative has nearly become a disaster for this animal. These shy rodents are hardly ever seen. Very little is known about their behavior.
In the Andes in Venezuela we come face to face with the Bearded Helmetcrest or “Chivito” at 4200 meters of height in “Paramo”. This survival artist is a master of coping with the extreme conditions at this icy altitude.
Images for film:
