Llamas 

The llama is one of four different families – Alpacas, Guanacos, Llamas, and Vicunas.  The Alpaca and Llama have been domesticated animals for more than 4,000 years, used primarily as pack animals.  The other two, Guanacos and Vicunas, are typically wild, living in herds.  While you will find the Llama in many parts of South America, they are particularly strong in the northern part of Chile. 

During the days of the Inca Indians in Peru, the Guancos were used for meat but today, this particular breed of Llama is protected in many parts of South America.  For the Llama, the Inca Indians would sacrifice an albino Llama but only for very special occasion such as dedication to the sun god, planting and harvest times, erecting a new structure, and so on. 

As members of the Camelid family, archeologists believe that the Llama actually originated in North America due to three million year old fossils located in the state of California.  However, as the animals moved north, crossing the Bering land bridge, they evolved into the camel.  Then some of the Llama migrated south, ending up in South America.  The Llamas of today are primarily from Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. 

The interesting thing is that in recent years, several ancient paintings of Llamas have surfaced leading experts to now believe that Llamas were in Greece some 20,000 years ago and that sometime around 300 BC, they were living in various regions of Lebanon.  While this has not been confirmed other than through the discovery of the paintings, it has certainly peaked the curiosity of Llama historians. 

Even though the Llama is found primarily in South America, today they can also be found all around the globe, on Llama farms, in zoos, touring animal shows, the circus, and so on.  The word “lama” is used to describe the genus of the Llama, used most by North American organizations to cover two types of animals – Llamas and Alpacas.  While closely related, remember they are different species. 

The Llamas kept in the Andes today are often herded to protective pens during the night, constructed with tall stone walls.  The bottom line is that just as they were thousands of years earlier, the Llama is still a very important part of the Andean culture.  Workers continue to use them as pack animals for carrying jugs of water, food, supplies, and whatever needs to be moved from one location to another. 

In addition to being used as beasts of labor, the Llama is also used for meat in some areas, usually by people of low income.  The meat is a rich source of fiber and loaded with minerals and vitamins.  Although not very good to cook with, it is dried into what is called Ch’arki, which is a type of jerky and in fact, this is where the Westernized term “jerky” came from. 

As the largest member of the Camelid family, this animal is capable of grazing on just about any type of vegetation.  However, unlike its cousin the camel, the Llama is not designed to carry water but can go for long periods without it.  The Llama has thick pads on its feet, which protects it during long travels.  Because of its strength and endurance, many people in North American countries are now discovering the benefits of using the Llama for hiking backcountry. 

The Llama comes in a variety of colors, ranging from solid white and black to a multitude of brown shades and color combinations.  For the Vicuna, they struggle to survive since the area in Chile where they live does not offer much vegetation.  The wool of the Vicuna is thick and perfect for weaving into soft, luxurious silk.  In fact, during ancient Peru, this wool was used only for the Inca Indians and royalty.  If anyone were caught killing a Vicuna or taking its wool during this era, the person would be killed. 

Llamas are also known for making many different sounds as a way of communicating.  The humming sound is the most common, often used by the female as she calls to her young, more as a reassurance that everything is okay.  The baby Llama, called Crias, makes a humming noise as well but much softer.  If you spend any time around Llamas, you will notice that the humming noise varies, depending on the situation.  For instance, if the Llama is worried, there will be more of a troublesome like hum.  The male Llama has its own distinct noises, one called Orgle, which is made while breeding. 

Another noise made by the Llama is one of alarm, a calling to warn others of impending danger. Usually, a male in the herd will go to higher ground, making the alarm call so it echoes down below for all to hear.  Soon, all of the other males in the herd will join in with their own alarm call.  Although the female can also call out an alarm, it is usually only the male. 

The Llama will also make an occasional snort, which is more of a defiant sound as if telling another Llama, “It’s a good thing I can’t reach you or we would fight.”  Males will scream when fighting.  Although they generally do not hurt each other badly, they do make a tremendous amount of noise.  Finally, the female Llama will sometimes produce a clucking like sound that is to let a male know she is not interested, sort of a “Leave me alone” sound. 

The breeding of the Llama takes about 15 to 20 minutes whereby the male will show a lot of attention and affection to the female, often nibbling gently on her ear or rubbing his front feet on her neck.  The interesting thing is that the female will often seem preoccupied during breeding, grazing on grass, looking around, almost as if bored.  Typically, the other females in the brood will gather close to watch with their curious nature. 

As you can see, the Llama is indeed a fascinating animal with a long history.  This animal can reach upward of 450 pounds, standing about six feet tall.  They are intelligent, loving, and have a reputation for caring for their own, often protecting and guarding others in the herd.