Full Breakdown
Newborn Vicuna “Xoco” Joins Highland Wildlife Park Herd
7/17/2026, 11:09:11 AM
Core Event
A month-old female vicuna, the smallest camelid relative of llamas and alpacas, was born at the Highland Wildlife Park near Kincraig on 18 June. Keepers of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) named the cria Xoco, a Nahuatl term meaning “little sister” or “the youngest child.” The animal is reported to be settling in with the existing herd of six vicunas—Juanita, Ozzy, Austria, Kantu, Tupac and the newcomer Xoco.
Background & Context
The birth occurs amid a broader “baby boom” at the RZSS-run park, which has recently welcomed rare snow-leopard cubs, Himalayan monals, red deer, and other species such as Bru the capybara, Snoot the giant armadillo and Atty the sloth at Edinburgh Zoo. Vicunas are native to the high Andes of South America, and their captive breeding supports conservation of this endangered species.
Herd Composition & Species Details
The Highland herd now comprises six individuals. Vicuna newborns are called crias and are precocial; they can stand and walk within an hour of birth and typically weigh four to six kilogrammes.
Official Statements & Responses
Park keepers emphasized that Xoco is thriving and integrating smoothly with her mother Juanita and the rest of the herd. The RZSS highlighted the birth as part of its ongoing effort to bolster captive populations of vulnerable alpine mammals.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They have named the month-old female Xoco, a Nahuatl name meaning "little sister" or "the youngest child".” — keepers, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
- “Born to parents Juanita and Austria on Thursday 18 June, keepers at the wildlife conservation charity say the female youngster is doing well and settling in with the herd.” — park staff, RZSS
- “The term for a baby vicuna is a ‘cria’.” — RZSS information release
- “Crias are born precocial, meaning they can stand and walk within an hour of birth.” — RZSS educational material
