Llama

CLASS

Mammals

FAMILY

Camelidae

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Lama glama

WHERE IS IN THE PARK

Safari

The term “llama” will often indicate four species of camelids: the vicuna, the guanaco, the alpaca and the llama itself, all native to South America. Only the first two species live in the wild, while the other two exist only as domesticated animals. The llama is the domesticated form of the guanaco, the alpaca is the domesticated form of the vicuna.
Although apparently more similar to a sheep, the llamas is much closer to the camel and the dromedary. It has a robust build and a great resistance to the cold. In the Andean regions, these features have been selected to turn the llama into a pack animal. Its meat will also be eaten and the fleece will be used. In North America it is also utilized as a guardian of flocks, since it is able to dissuade predators of considerable size, such as the coyotes. The relationship between llama and man dates back to pre-columbian age. The behaviour to spit at men, so frequently observed, results from an improper breeding of the young llama, when, being fed artificially, it is in a closed contact with humans for a long period of time. Animals bred correctly don’t show such behaviour.

 

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