National Geographic: Spitting Mad - Wild Camel of the Andes Page #2

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but now is the most dangerous time

of their lives,

especially if they leave

the relative safety

of their mother's side.

Life is a constant battle

between the puma's stealth

and the guanaco's sharp eyes.

In this case, the eyes win.

Guanaco numbers can be seriously

reduced by pumas.

But to truly understand the way

guanacos live and die

requires knowledge.

And to get it,

you have to catch the chulengos.

Dr. Bill Franklin and his helpers

have been studying guanacos since 1976,

and with so many years experience

behind him,

he knows this mother is

being difficult-and dangerous.

This angry female has made it clear

that her chulengo

is not going to become

a part of Bill's scientific data.

But Bill also notices something else

about the female.

Not only is she very aggressive,

she is also rather fat.

So he leaves her to

regain her composure in peace,

but instructs one of his students to

watch her from a distance.

It soon becomes obvious that this.

Particular guanaco

is a very special mother.

She is about to give birth again,

though she already has a chulengo

barely three hours old.

Only once in 20 years

has Bill observed guanaco twins.

But now he has another opportunity

to study this extraordinary event again.

The first born chulengo

seems a bit confused

by this staggering addition

to the family.

During the coming months,

scientists will closely

observe the twins

as they face the dual threats

of bad weather and puma attack.

But for the study to have meaning,

single chulengos must be

collared and tagged as well.

The fleet-footed youngsters

must be brought to ground.

But sometimes,

the only contact is the ground.

When they're just a few hours old,

chulengos are easier to catch

and can be handled

with a minimum of stress

to both mother and chulengo.

Wild though they are,

guanacos see scientists

almost every day

and are at ease in their presence.

For two decades,

Bill Franklin has given

dozens of students

the privilege of studying

one of the most interesting animals

on earth,

and he is the world's leading authority

on these-toughest of survivors.

Tagging the chulengos

allows their habits and movements

to be observed and recorded.

And while its mother

looks on anxiously,

her chulengo is weighed and examined.

Much can be learned,

for the health of this chulengo

may be a reflection

of the health of the region

in which it lives.

The chulengos are fitted with

radio transmitters

so their life-and-death struggles

can be followed.

In this way,

Bill has discovered that guanacos

may live as long as 12 years,

but only if they survive

the first year.

The chulengos will be closely guarded

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