Which factor caused the severe population bottleneck of the vicuña during the 20th century?
Answer
Unsustainable hunting for fiber
Following European contact, the vicuña suffered a catastrophic decline in population due to unsustainable hunting specifically aimed at harvesting its exceptionally fine fiber. By the 1960s, this intensive pressure had driven the species to the brink of extinction, with fewer than 10,000 individuals remaining. Although successful conservation efforts have since allowed the population to rebound to over 350,000, this bottleneck event significantly impacted the genetic diversity of the species, creating a lasting effect on its population structure.
Related Questions
Approximately how many years ago did the evolutionary divergence between the ancestors of the modern vicuña and the guanaco occur?Which domesticated camelid is considered the direct descendant of the wild vicuña?Which wild South American camelid serves as the primary ancestral lineage for the domesticated llama?What specific anatomical trait allows the vicuña to continuously maintain adequate grinding surfaces while consuming tough, abrasive grasses?What physiological adaptation in the blood of the vicuña facilitates its survival in the low-oxygen environment of the puna grasslands?Which geological epoch marks the time frame when the vicuña and guanaco populations experienced their initial evolutionary separation?What is the primary habitat of the vicuña, characterized by high elevation and low oxygen levels?Which factor caused the severe population bottleneck of the vicuña during the 20th century?In modern taxonomy and molecular research, which genus is frequently used to classify the vicuña?What is the approximate diameter of vicuña fiber, which makes it highly prized and economically valuable?