We have a couple families with alpacas and llamas and would love to have more.

Alpaca and Llama Coordinator:

Jessie’s Llama Report

Llamas
(llama glamma)

Llamas may seem to be stubborn or mean animals that spit at people, but they are very remarkable creatures. Llamas are members of the camel family; the first camels came from North America not a desert.

In A.D. 1105 the Incas arrived in South America. They found smaller, camel-like animals that had no humps; they were llamas. The Incas, during the years 1200 A.D. and 1532 A.D. created a large empire in the central Andes Mountains. Llamas were considered “the trucks of the Andes.” During the time of the Incas, llamas carried trade goods, military supplies, building supplies and food. One trade caravan consisted of thousands of llamas.

Llamas are native to the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains of South America. Llamas live at altitudes of 12,000 – 14,000 feet. Many are now raised in North America.

In the camel, or camelid family, llamas and alpacas are the only South American domesticated relatives of the camel. The Guanaco and the Vicuna are the only wild relatives to the camel. Guanacos are decreasing in numbers.

Llamas can live up to 20 years. They each bunch grasses, shrubs, alfalfa hay, oats and small trees. Llamas don’t need to drink a lot of water because they get most of their water from the plans they eat. Llamas chew their food twice. They chew the food and swallow it, then regurgitate it and chew a second time; then swallow it again. The regurgitated food is called cud. Llamas chew their cud at night. Llamas chew cud to get the most nutrients out of their food. The llama is a ruminant. Ruminants are mammals that have four stomachs, have cloven hooves and chew cud. Llamas are modified ruminates because they only have three stomachs.

Camlid babies are called crias. Crias are usually born one at a time and twins are very rare. Crias weigh 18 to 35 pounds and are born early in the day. A cria nurses for about 5 to 6 months. The gestation period of a llama is eleven months.

The color of a llama’s fiber can vary between white, brown, black and mixtures. Llamas don’t have hooves, instead they have padded feet with two toes. Llama feet do not disturb the earth like horses or cattle. When llamas walk they step with the same front and back foot. A llama’s top walking speed is 20 miles an hour. When feeling frisky or trying to impress a female a male will jump stiff legged like a deer. Llamas weight 250-450 pounds and stand about 5-6 feet tall at the head. At the shoulder they are about 4 feet tall. According to the 1989 World Book Encyclopedia, llamas can carry about 200 pounds, but according to Lebonte, pg. 45, they can only carry up to 100 pounds. Llamas can carry a full load 15-20 miles a day.
The llama has no upper teeth, but they have very hard gums. A llama can have one of three kinds of ears, banana ears where the ears curve over the head, tipped ears; the ears fold over at the tips, or wooly ears where the ears are covered with long wool. Llamas have a split upper lip and a long neck; they also have large beautiful eyes.

The llama is know to have a gentle, curious nature and is intelligent and easy to train. Besides making noises, llamas can communicate with their ears and their necks. When a llama is curious it will stand its ears up, if it is relaxed it will lay its ears back, or if it’s scared it will lay its ears back on its neck. When a llama meets a new person it may touch them with its lips, sniff them, or blow softly into their face. That is the llama greeting. If a llama is content it will make a humming sound with the air passing in and out of its long heck. Some people call it “praying”. Llamas often “pray” when grazing. When a female llama gets separated from its cria it will make a sound similar to a bicycle horn. A llama will make a whinnying hum when it is alarmed. When a llama is unhappy it may spit. Llamas usually spit at other llamas but on occasion they will spit at humans. Llamas like to live in small herds, but a llama is usually content with a dog or sheep as company. Llamas can communicate with their necks. Two llamas may wrestle with their necks. One llama will put its neck on the other’s neck and press down so that the other llama is in a kneeling position. The llamas wrestle to show they are dominant over the others in the herd. If the llamas are actually fighting they will try to bite each others necks. Female llamas stop wrestling when they are about one year old but males never stop.

There are many uses for llamas. Some of the most common uses are: packing, clothes/yarn, and pets. Some rangers use llamas to go places that can’t be reached by automobiles. Many llamas are raised for their wool or fiber. The llama fiber is spun into yarn that is weaved, knitted, felted or crocheted to use for clothing and other crafts, even rope. The Inca people used llamas for shoes and for meat. The meat was called “Charqui.” Charqui was dried meat that had been cut into strips. The modern word jerky comes from a type of Charqui. Llamas make good pets because of their kind nature. Many people pack llamas in the mountains or forests. Llamas don’t need a blanket when packing because of their long fiber.

In conclusion, llamas are very versatile animals. They make great pets, their fiber makes wonderful clothes and crafts, and you can pack with them. Llamas are usually very smart, kind and calm animals.