Perro Yaghan
Encyclopedia
The perro Yaghan or perro Fueguino ("Fuegan dog"), is an extinct domesticated canine animal, resulting from the domestication of the culpeo
(Pseudalopex culpaeus), a South American species of fox, by the Yaghan people. It was not closely related to the true dog
(Canis lupus familiaris).
The geographical distribution coincided with that of the Yaghan people, focussing on the central and southern portion of Tierra del Fuego
and surrounding regions.
Argentinian gaucho
s living in the islands called the animal the "maned dog" because of its resemblance to the maned wolf
(Chrysocyon brachyurus).
The animal had erect ears and a thick tail, resembling a fox, but its colour was sometimes entirely white.
It is not clear what purpose these animals were used for by the Yaghan people, although Charles Darwin
in his account of The Voyage of the Beagle
suggested that they were used to hunt otter
s.
Culpeo
The culpeo , sometimes known as the culpeo zorro or Andean fox , is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest native canid on the continent after the maned wolf. In its appearance it bears many similarities to the widely recognized red fox...
(Pseudalopex culpaeus), a South American species of fox, by the Yaghan people. It was not closely related to the true dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
(Canis lupus familiaris).
The geographical distribution coincided with that of the Yaghan people, focussing on the central and southern portion of Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
and surrounding regions.
Argentinian gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
s living in the islands called the animal the "maned dog" because of its resemblance to the maned wolf
Maned Wolf
The maned wolf is the largest canid of South America, resembling a large fox with reddish fur.This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in south, central-west and south-eastern Brazil The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the...
(Chrysocyon brachyurus).
The animal had erect ears and a thick tail, resembling a fox, but its colour was sometimes entirely white.
It is not clear what purpose these animals were used for by the Yaghan people, although Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
in his account of The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle is a title commonly given to the book written by Charles Darwin and published in 1839 as his Journal and Remarks, bringing him considerable fame and respect...
suggested that they were used to hunt otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s.