Abstract
We investigated the influence of population density and meteorological conditions on annual birth mass of guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, from 1987 to 1996. Between 1987 and 1990, density of guanacos on the study area nearly tripled from 16 to 43 animals/km 2 . Mean birth mass was significantly different across years, and there was a strong negative correlation between mean yearly birth mass and population density. There was no correlation between mean yearly birth mass and mean temperature or total precipitation in either winter or spring during this period. Since 1990, density of guanacos has decreased, which we suspect is the result of degraded range conditions, partly due to overgrazing. Population censuses from other sectors of the park and the adjacent sheep ranch revealed increasing numbers of guanacos, and the movement of tagged animals out of the study area into surroundings with lower guanaco density.
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