Territorial fidelity of male guanacos in the Patagonia of southern Chile

Abstract

We investigated site fidelity of territorial male guanacos (Lama guanicoe) in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. The study took place over a 10-year period, with intensive work in the final years, 1997-1999. Guanacos have a social system of resource-defense polygyny with fluid movement of females between male territories. After the annual winter migration, males establish and maintain their territories from mid-spring until late autumn. Territorial males are classified as solo or family-group territorial males. We collected data on type, location, size, and usage of territories for tagged, known-age males. We compared male territorial fidelity between mating (8 December-11 January) and nonmating periods within the 6-month territorial season each year (1 October-15 March) and between multiple years. Males used the same area within the 1997 and 1998 territorial seasons (n = 47). Most males (73%; n = 60) also returned to the same territory location from year to year. Males (27%) that shifted territorial locations showed no clear patterns in changes between solo territorial males and family-group territorial males. High predictability of male territory sites within a given year and between years has short- and long-term benefits for management and conservation efforts.