**Bolivian Snowstorm Imperils More Than 40,000 Llamas and Alpacas**
By Everett Rosenfeld | July 13, 2011 | +Tweet
As Bolivia endured its worst snowstorms in 20 years, thousands of people were left stranded, and commerce came to a near standstill in the usually dry region of Potosi. However, amid this human crisis, another story unfolded—one that could have as profound an impact on the Bolivian economy as the loss of crops caused by the storms: the snow has destroyed the food sources for approximately 41,000 camelids, according to the governor of Potosi. These llamas—the official animal of Bolivia—and alpacas were already suffering from a diminished population after an estimated 20% died due to droughts in 2010. Now, many more could be affected as their pastures are buried under heavy snow.
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Camelids are economically and culturally significant in Bolivia's rural areas, where they are used as pack animals, for food, and as a source of wool. With 7,000 locals and tourists stranded in the snow, Bolivian authorities have requested assistance from neighboring countries in the form of equipment; according to some reports, the government only owns two helicopters.
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Everett Rosenfeld is a TIME contributor. Follow him on Twitter at @Ev_Rosenfeld. Continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.