[1] Vegetation in the National Park and biosphere consists of barren desert, grasslands, and a few wetlands, all located in the high, arid Andes.

Its main objective is to preserve the natural habitat of vicuñas, and at the same time protect the other plants and animals of this mountain area.

The flora consists of scattered dwarf shrubs, interspersed with coarse grasses and herbaceous plants, and much bare ground.

[5] A research project involves fitting cougars, the top predator in the park, with GPS radio collars and tracking their movements.

It has been found that in areas of the park with plenty of cover, such as canyons and wetlands, the vicuñas are much more alert to danger and consequently spend less time feeding than they do on open plains.