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Spin the Globe: The Incredible Adventures of Frederick von Wigglebottom
Alpacas in the Andes
By Edward Moldenhauer, Kenn Yapsangco Trafford Publishing
Copyright © 2015 Edward Moldenhauer
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-5263-1
CHAPTER 1
Welcome to Cusco
Each time Frederick awoke from a "spin," he knew it would be a totally new and incredible adventure. This time, he awoke in front of a grand cathedral, and he could see large mountains in the distance. There was a slight breeze, the sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the air felt cool and dry. "Oh, I have landed somewhere in the mountains, but I have no idea where!" he exclaimed.
When he opened his journal, he saw a map of Peru, home of the Incas, high in the Andes Mountains.
As always, Frederick knew he needed to find a new friend to help him figure out exactly where he had landed. After enjoying the scenery and looking about, he noticed a young man walking his way.
"Excuse me, amigo. Can you help me?" Frederick inquired of the nice-looking boy.
"Si, my name is Ernesto, and how can I assist you?" the young man replied.
"Hello, Ernesto, my name is Frederick. I know that I am in Peru, high in the mountains, but I am not sure what city I am in," Frederick responded.
"You are in the beautiful city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Tahuantinsuyu, or who most people now call the Incas," Ernesto answered. "Cusco is a very old and famous city. The Incas constructed the city in the shape of the sacred puma. Right now, you are standing in the Plaza de Armas, or parade grounds, in front of the beautiful Cusco Cathedral. Did you know that the church is shaped like a cross and was built on top of the foundations of the Incan temple known as Kiswarkancha, which means 'rock of the owl'?"
"I did not know that," Frederick said. "As I travel the world learning about new places and meeting people, friends like you help teach me about their country and history. Could you please tell me more?"
"Well, besides being a church, the cathedral also holds many pieces of beautiful colonial art, artifacts, and relics," Ernesto explained.
"What do you mean by colonial?" asked Frederick.
"Colonial means from the time after the Spanish arrived here in Peru in the early 1500s. Cusco has a really nice mixture of Spanish and Incan buildings," Ernesto replied.
"Are you Spanish or Incan, Ernesto?" Frederick asked.
"I am of a mixed background, called mestizo. That means that I have some Spanish and Incan blood in my veins. My family has been in Peru for many generations," Ernesto proudly answered.
They sat in the plaza, enjoying the ornate fountain and the brightly colored flags waving in the wind. Frederick asked about the flags with all the colors of the rainbow.
Ernesto said, "They are the Cusco flag called a wiphala, which contains the seven colors of the rainbow. A wiphala is used to represent the Incan Empire, with each of the colors having a meaning. Red stands for the earth, orange for the people, yellow for the sun, white for time, green for nature, blue for the sky and heavens, and purple for strength. The arrangement of the stripes indicates what part of the empire you are from. Here in Cusco, we fly the flag to honor our Incan heritage, and it contains all of the Incan colors."
"Boy, that is really cool. The flag is so colorful and has a lot of meaning. Are you from Cusco?" Frederick asked.
"No, I am originally from Lima, the capital of Peru. My family came to Cusco several years ago. My mother and father are both conservationists and scientists who study the native animals of the Andes, and they also teach at the college here in town. They are trying to help save the endangered Andean mountain cat." Ernesto answered with more than a hint of enthusiasm in his voice.
CHAPTER 2
Animals of the Andes
"What exactly is an Andean mountain cat?" Frederick asked. He wanted to learn more about a cat that could get Ernesto so excited.
"It is a small wildcat about the size of a normal house cat. It is really cool looking, almost like a miniature snow leopard. It is an endangered species, and the scientists, like my parents, think that there are only a little more than two thousand cats left in the wild. They have been very lucky and have even seen several cats during their time in the mountains studying them," Ernesto explained.
"They sound really neat. I wish I could see one!" Frederick answered.
"I will have to show you some photographs. They live high in the mountains, far from the city. When my parents are not teaching at the college, they spend many weeks hiking into the Andes, camping and being very quiet and patient. The cats are very cautious, and it does not take much to scare them into hiding," Ernesto explained.
"Well, sometimes I have a hard time just being quiet and patient. I am always so excited when I experience new things. I guess that is why my last name is von Wigglebottom!" Frederick and Ernesto chuckled.
Frederick begged Ernesto, "Please tell me more about the animals of the Andes."
"There are many unique animals that call the Andes their home," shared Ernesto. "We have larger animals that have been used by the people of the Andes for centuries. The llama and its smaller cousin the alpaca are members of the camel family. Llama and alpaca are used for their meat and wool and as pack animals. They are very sure-footed in the mountains and can go for long periods without having to drink water," Ernesto explained.
Frederick added, "So are they are kind of like a mule or a camel?"
"Yes, they are. In Peru, there are also wild relatives of the llama and alpaca that live in the higher mountains. They are called the vicuña and guanaco. We Peruvians are so proud of these unique creatures that an image of a vicuña is on Peru's national flag."
"Is that a vicuña I see walking over there with the packs on their backs?" Frederick inquired.
"No, those are llamas, which are everywhere around Cusco. Sometimes you may see people holding tiny baby llamas they have as pets until they grow," Ernesto said. "They are really cute as little babies."
Then Ernesto went on the explain more about other Andean animals.
"We also have some pretty unique smaller animals too. We have furry little friends, like the guinea pig. Many people around the world use them as pets, but here in Peru, we also use them for food.
"There is also the chinchilla, with very soft and thick fur. Chinchillas live in colonies of up to one hundred animals. Even though they are only slightly bigger than a squirrel, their fur was used to make coats. It took almost an entire colony to make just one coat. So now, they are a protected species, too, just like the mountain cat." Ernesto had a slightly sad look on his face.
"What is wrong, Ernesto?" Eric asked with concern.
"My parents work so hard trying to save these beautiful creatures, sometimes I cannot understand why people would kill so many just to make a coat," replied Ernesto.
"Well, on a happier note, we also have the little paca. They have a spotted fur coat that makes it look like a baby deer—a fawn. There is also the viscacha, which is the main food source for the mountain cat. Viscachas look like a rabbit, except they have a long tail."
"Goodness, they are some pretty nifty animals," Frederick replied.
"Oh, but I saved the best for last. This one is pretty awesome as well," Ernesto chimed.
"The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. It looks like a super giant-sized guinea pig and can grow as large as a normal dog. Some people even keep them as pets. But we do not eat them!" Ernesto added.
"So you have little furry guinea pigs, spotted pacas, viscachas are rabbits with tails, soft and furry chinchillas, and the capybara is as big as a dog. Yikes, I think I will stay here in town!" Frederick reacted.
"Do you have any unique birds here in the Andes?"
"Well, yes, we do. The brightly colored orange or scarlet and black Andean cock-of-the-rock is our national bird of Peru. Also, there is the giant Andean condor, which can have a wing span of up to ten feet. The condor's neck also has a distinctive ring of white ruffled feathers. According to Incan legend, the condor was believed to be the ruler of the upper world."
"The animals of the Andes are surely fascinating. I am very happy that your parents are dedicated to studying and trying to save these creatures," Frederick added.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Spin the Globe: The Incredible Adventures of Frederick von Wigglebottom by Edward Moldenhauer, Kenn Yapsangco. Copyright © 2015 Edward Moldenhauer. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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