Sustainable Luxury, Craftsmanship and Vicuna Poncho
31
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
2
translated by Law No. 4855. In 1971, the vicuña was declared an endangered species
and became part of the CITES.
In 1979, the government of the province of Catamarca declared the area a reserve
for vicuña protection. In 1982, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
3 included the reserve as Biosphere Reserve Category
VI of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature,
4 i.e. a managed resource
protected area, with pristine natural systems and management of biological diversity
and resource sustainability based on community needs.
Laguna Blanca has about 600 inhabitants, including the indigenous communities
of Corral Blanco, Aguas Calientes and Laguna Blanca. Besides the home to vicuñas,
it is also a shelter for the conservation of birds, such as the greater flamingo, and rich
American fauna.
The presence of vicuña and its interaction with human beings can be traced back
to ancient times. This is evidenced in the rock art of the area, such as that in Corral
Blanco, 12 km away from Laguna Blanca. That is one of the various rock art sites
in the Puna. It is a 5-metre-high stone wall that was the medium for artists from the
formative stage (2000 BC) to join the forces that interacted with them: the tracks of
surí –a feline with a spotted coat and camelids tracks. In many cases, Andean rock
art evidences a deliberate management of camelid populations in these regions that
can be traced back to 4000–5000 years BP—a progressive practice which introduced
locals to shepherding.
Archaeologist Delfino [7] ventures to think that, in pre-Hispanic times, Laguna
Blanca was a place of interest for caravan groups. And, based on the detailed description of locals’ resources and economic practices, spinning and weaving ropes and
slings for hunter-gatherers were of utmost importance.
Unlike the llama, as the vicuña cannot be tamed fibre collection requires its capture. Historically, vicuñas were captured through hunt, killing the animal, or through
the chaku, a method to capture, shear and release vicuñas back to nature.
2 The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
was established in 1973 in response to the growing concerns about the overexploitation of wildlife
through international trade, which threatens the survival of many animal and plant species all over
the world. CITES has been ratified by 180 countries. The main purpose of the Convention is to ensure
that international trade does not threaten the survival of natural species. To this end, CITES regulates
international wildlife trade through a system of permits and certificates. Source: Cherny-Scalon [2].
Visit: https://www.cites.org/esp/disc/what.php.
3 UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. UNESCO seeks
to build peace through international co-operation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s
programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda
2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Source: Official Website https://es.unesco.
org/about-us/introducing-unesco.
4 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a Membership Union uniquely
composed of sovereign states and both government and civil society organisations. The IUCN
provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that
enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Source: Official Website https://www.iucn.org/es/acerca-de-la-uicn.
31
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
2
translated by Law No. 4855. In 1971, the vicuña was declared an endangered species
and became part of the CITES.
In 1979, the government of the province of Catamarca declared the area a reserve
for vicuña protection. In 1982, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
3 included the reserve as Biosphere Reserve Category
VI of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature,
4 i.e. a managed resource
protected area, with pristine natural systems and management of biological diversity
and resource sustainability based on community needs.
Laguna Blanca has about 600 inhabitants, including the indigenous communities
of Corral Blanco, Aguas Calientes and Laguna Blanca. Besides the home to vicuñas,
it is also a shelter for the conservation of birds, such as the greater flamingo, and rich
American fauna.
The presence of vicuña and its interaction with human beings can be traced back
to ancient times. This is evidenced in the rock art of the area, such as that in Corral
Blanco, 12 km away from Laguna Blanca. That is one of the various rock art sites
in the Puna. It is a 5-metre-high stone wall that was the medium for artists from the
formative stage (2000 BC) to join the forces that interacted with them: the tracks of
surí –a feline with a spotted coat and camelids tracks. In many cases, Andean rock
art evidences a deliberate management of camelid populations in these regions that
can be traced back to 4000–5000 years BP—a progressive practice which introduced
locals to shepherding.
Archaeologist Delfino [7] ventures to think that, in pre-Hispanic times, Laguna
Blanca was a place of interest for caravan groups. And, based on the detailed description of locals’ resources and economic practices, spinning and weaving ropes and
slings for hunter-gatherers were of utmost importance.
Unlike the llama, as the vicuña cannot be tamed fibre collection requires its capture. Historically, vicuñas were captured through hunt, killing the animal, or through
the chaku, a method to capture, shear and release vicuñas back to nature.
2 The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
was established in 1973 in response to the growing concerns about the overexploitation of wildlife
through international trade, which threatens the survival of many animal and plant species all over
the world. CITES has been ratified by 180 countries. The main purpose of the Convention is to ensure
that international trade does not threaten the survival of natural species. To this end, CITES regulates
international wildlife trade through a system of permits and certificates. Source: Cherny-Scalon [2].
Visit: https://www.cites.org/esp/disc/what.php.
3 UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. UNESCO seeks
to build peace through international co-operation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s
programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda
2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Source: Official Website https://es.unesco.
org/about-us/introducing-unesco.
4 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a Membership Union uniquely
composed of sovereign states and both government and civil society organisations. The IUCN
provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that
enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Source: Official Website https://www.iucn.org/es/acerca-de-la-uicn.