The vicuña is a wild South American camelid native to the high alpine regions of the Andes mountains. It is closely related to the llama and is considered the wild ancestor of the domesticated alpaca, which is primarily raised for its fleece.
Vicuñas are known for producing an extremely fine and soft wool that is highly valued for its warmth. Because the animals must be caught from the wild and can only be shorn once every three years, their wool is considered very expensive. Historically, the Inca people held the animal in high regard, making it illegal for anyone other than royalty to wear garments made from vicuña wool.
Today, the vicuña serves as the national animal of Peru and is featured on the country's coat of arms.