The wild vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and domesticated llama (Lama glama) and alpaca (Lama pacos). native camelids of South America, are the most important large herbivores of the continent because of their ecological dominance and importance to man. In this rewiew we discused the main characteristics of the biology and husbandry of the domestic and wild camelids in the central mountain of Chile. This rewiew is part of a consulting report written for the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF). Key words: Camelids, South America. Palabras claves: Camélidos, Sudamérica.