Mortality profiles from massive and attritional guanaco deaths in Southern Patagonia, Argentina: implications for hunter-gatherer archaeology

Abstract

Mortality profiles are valuable for discussing hunting strategies and the effects of natural deaths on population age structure. Although these studies have been developed over several decades, there is still a lack of actualistic information that allows us to discuss patterns derived from different causes of death. This paper presents modern mortality profiles from natural deaths in the Coyle-Gallegos River interfluve (southern Patagonia, Argentina). We surveyed guanacos killed by winter stress (493 individuals), entangled on wire fences (53), and guanacos killed by various causes for an unknown number of years in the canyon bottom (33). Unexpectedly, juvenile individuals dominate the mortality profile of winter stress, especially the young of the year, indicating age-selective deaths. Juvenile (0–2 years) and senile (+9 years) individuals are the best represented in the canyon and fence, producing an attritional profile dominated by the most vulnerable individuals of the population. Our actualistic results alert us about the variability of mortality patterns that natural events can generate and invite us to evaluate the different conditions under which these deaths occur and are affected by taphonomic processes.