Where does the llama live in what natural area. Lama guanaco - description of the animal, interesting facts, photos and videos
The llama is a domesticated South American beast of burden that belongs to the camel family. They are social animals and live in herds. At the lamas Long neck and legs; The head is relatively small relative to the overall body size, and has a pair of large, banana-shaped ears. These animals are known for their long wool fiber, which is widely used for making ropes and fabrics.
Description of the llama
Llamas are domesticated animals from South America belonging to the same family as camels. However, llamas do not have a pair of humps. Lama has enough long ears, slightly curved inward, the shape is also known as banana-shaped. The feet are narrow, the toes are more separated than those of camels, and each has a calloused pad. Llamas have a very short tail, and the coat is long, soft and surprisingly clean. Largest part animals Brown, but the shade of the coat varies in many shades from dark to the lightest, white, depending on the habitat.
Historically, in wildlife, llamas were discovered in the Andes mountains of South America, where they were subsequently domesticated and raised for hundreds of years for dietary meat, milk, high-quality, cold-resistant wool, and use as beasts of burden. Currently, they are grown in many countries around the world.
Llama hair is known for its softness, while the top layer (called guard hair) is a little coarser and serves to protect the skin and body from mechanical damage and harmful influences (rain, cold and debris). For the production of woolen products, both layers are used.
Llamas were also used as cargo carriers and artiodactyl companions. For these purposes, more hardy males were used. A special blood composition helps llamas travel long distances in mountainous areas. It has an extremely high content of hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen through the bloodstream, which contributes to good tolerance of high altitudes, where the oxygen content is much lower.
Llamas were also used as herd guards. The animal’s unique vision, hearing and sense of smell help identify a sneaking enemy. Hearing a predator nearby, the llama makes a loud scream, thereby scaring it away and warning the shepherd and the herd. As a rule, for such protection of a herd or henhouse, one castrated male is used.
Llamas are very social, kind animals. However, when arguing about dominance within the herd, they spit on each other, releasing the entire contents of their stomachs. There are known cases of “negativity” spilling out onto a person.
Llamas' native habitat is the cold, dry Andes Mountains, where they live primarily on rugged peaks. However, nowadays they can be found in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands and farmland.
Appearance
Llamas have the typical camel body shape, but lack the humps of the Bactrian and Dromedary camels. They have long necks, thin limbs and rounded snouts. The lower incisors are prominent (front teeth) and the upper lip is cleft. Due in part to the fact that they have been domesticated, llama coat colors can vary in a variety of shades and combinations. Among the most popular are white, brown, grey, black or piebald. One common color is a combination of reddish-brown fur with patches of yellow or white.
Llama sizes
The height of the llama at the withers is about 183 centimeters. The largest males can weigh up to 204 kilograms. Coat color ranges from white to black with variations in between. Llamas are used as pack animals and are the largest of the four lamoids ( , vicuna and are the other three).
Lifestyle, behavior
Llamas are social, herd, diurnal animals that live in groups of up to 20 individuals. The group includes about 6 breeding females with the current year's young. The group is led by one male, who aggressively defends his alpha position by adopting Active participation in the struggle for dominance. Groups can also consist of males. In this case, the males constantly challenge each other in the struggle for social dominance, they fight using their necks and teeth.
These animals are very clean, because they use separate, strictly defined territories for defecation. A llama will never leave feces where she sleeps or eats. This is probably due to the natural desire to hide traces of their presence from predators.
Llamas have a wide range of vocalizations. With a cry they warn of danger, with a quiet rumbling they express emotions of satisfaction. Llamas are aggressive in the presence of predators and will boldly attack, bite and spit on anyone they perceive as a potential threat.
Despite the possible conflict between males, llamas are herd animals. Therefore, they try to seek contact with other animals of their species. It is also not uncommon to experience peaceful interactions with other grazing animals such as sheep and goats. In general, llamas are considered good-natured, friendly and intelligent.
On the farm, these are gentle, undemanding pets that easily get along in field conditions. They are still used as a source of tourism income. They ride children on them, and llamas accompany small loads on hills. The carrying capacity of a strong male does not exceed 55 kilograms.
When kept on farms, llamas do not cause much trouble. They tolerate temperature changes well and can be fed the same food as sheep and goats and cared for using similar husbandry methods. The strong llama foot is topped with a strong nail at the end, which may need regular trimming. If the purpose of keeping is not the extraction of wool, it is not necessary to cut it.
Llamas have a gentle temperament and inquisitive nature, making them an ideal companion or therapy animal. Llamas are known for being easy to train. They are able to learn fun tricks after just a few repetitions. These animals are used in hospices, nursing homes and hospitals to provide a sensory experience for those in need, as a visit from a llama is an emotionally positive exercise. This type of therapy can help with healing or simply provide some fun.
How long does a llama live?
On average, llamas live between 15 and 20 years. In some cases of particularly careful care, the animal can live up to 30 years.
sexual dimorphism
Females reach sexual maturity much earlier.
Range, habitats
Llamas originally lived in the Andean mountains, but this moment They are extinct in the wild and exist only as domesticated animals. Widely distributed and grown in Europe, where they were introduced as domestic and farm animals. Their natural habitat is the Andean highlands, particularly the Altiplano of western Bolivia and southeastern Peru. This is an area predominantly covered with low vegetation, including various low-growing trees, shrubs and grasses, which are the main food of llamas. In the Altiplano region, the northern ones are more mountainous, and the south is completely inhospitable, drier and deserted. These animals can live at an altitude of more than 4000 meters above sea level.
Llamas are found in the mountainous regions of several South American countries: Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. Zoologists believe they migrated south from North America millions of years ago, eventually becoming extinct in their place of origin. The Incas used llamas as beasts of burden hundreds of years ago; modern people continue to do this today.
Llama diet
Llamas are exclusively herbivores. They eat grass, low bushes and other mountain vegetation. These animals obtain some of their fluid from food, but regularly need a source clean water.
Llamas are not particularly picky when it comes to food preferences. They can be fed a variety of agricultural products and mixtures, which include corn silage, alfalfa and bromegrass. They will also not refuse plant fruits, fruits and root vegetables. Growing young animals need more nutritious food.
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Just as in Eurasia and Africa man tamed and began to use them as beasts of burden, the ancient Indian tribes living in South America domesticated the mammals and herbivores that lived on this continent guanaco(lat. Lama guanicoe, camelid family).
Tamed guanacos, known to us as llamas(lat. Lama glama), began to serve man more than 4 thousand years ago. The excellent adaptability of these animals to the conditions of a semi-desert high-mountain climate, their ability to go without water for a long time, to travel long distances along steep and rocky mountain paths with additional load, and the ability to run quickly (they can reach speeds of more than 55 km/h) were used by the Indians to transform llamas in animals intended for transportation of luggage. The Incas were no less attracted by the opportunity to obtain valuable fur, wool, skins and meat from these animals. As a result, one of the most interesting branches of cattle breeding has appeared in South America, based on the breeding of llamas.
Llamas are very similar to camels, but differ from them in their smaller size (their height reaches 1.8 m, and the average weight rarely exceeds 200 kg) and the absence of humps. With their grace, they are more reminiscent of deer. The average life expectancy of llamas is 20 – 30 years. They are very smart, but also stubborn. An excellently developed sense of smell, acute hearing and excellent vision help llamas to escape from danger in time. Shepherds use this ability, attracting llamas to protect herds of smaller animals (sheep, goats). If a stranger invades the territory where the herd is grazing, llamas emit a loud, frightening roar, reminiscent of a donkey. In other cases, these animals do not make noise, only sometimes they can quietly purr, experiencing positive emotions.
Even today, llamas are the only way to transport goods to the inaccessible mountainous regions of the Andes. Male llamas cope with this task perfectly, capable of transporting up to 50 kg over distances of 25 km or more. Their endurance is explained by evolutionary adaptation to sudden temperature changes in their natural environment habitats (foothills of the Andes; alpine, up to 5000 m, plateaus, tropical steppes; semi-deserts), where the pre-morning air cools to 0 ° C, and at noon it heats up to + 38 ° C. As food, llamas use herbaceous vegetation, leaves and branches of shrubs , young trees, are especially fond of ferns. The need for food in these animals is minimal compared to other closely related representatives of the fauna: an adult llama consumes no more than 3 kg of hay per day. In addition, they are very picky eaters. In the absence of their usual food, llamas can eat vegetables, root vegetables, fruits, as well as moss and lichen. At home, animals' favorite treats are carrots, cabbage, apples, and bread. Domestic llamas also need constant access to fresh water.
Another amazing property of llamas is their cleanliness. The excrement of these animals is always collected in one place, at a distance from fields, paths, grazing places (feeders). This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas thus masked their location from dangerous predators. Among the local population, mainly Bolivians and Peruvians, dried llama litter is an excellent fuel.
Female llamas are not used in the work. And although their milk is very thick and fatty, it is barely enough to feed the baby (kria). Llamas carry their offspring for just under a year (11.5 months). Usually they have one baby at a time, and only in exceptional cases – two. Already an hour and a half after birth, the cub stands confidently on its legs.
In addition to unpretentiousness, economy, strength, and endurance, llamas also have certain character traits. They are characterized by loyalty, curiosity, obedience and peacefulness towards those who are friendly to them. In case of conflict situations, llamas are capable of showing irritability and even aggression, expressing their dissatisfaction, like camels, by spitting out the contents of their stomach at the enemy (most often a fellow herd).
When they first came to Europe (the beginning of the 16th century), llamas charmed the inhabitants with their appearance: a funny face with large eyes, long pubescent eyelashes, graceful movements, and soft fur. Conditions temperate climate, a sufficient amount of food contributed to the breeding of these animals on the European continent. At first, llamas were kept as companion animals, then they began to be used for valuable fur and wool. The delicious dietary meat of llamas did not go unnoticed. This product, obtained from young llamas (under 1.5 years of age), is in particular demand.
In some European countries, llamas are also involved in the tourism business. Thus, routes have been developed (mainly in the Italian Alps), where travelers are accompanied by specially trained llamas. In addition, children and adults enjoy riding llamas (it is only important that the weight of the rider does not exceed 50 kg). Llamas are very easy to train, so circus performers willingly include them in their program and use them in original tricks.
Today, llamas can be seen on special cattle farms not only in America and Europe, but even in Australia. Llama breeding has become so popular that animal owners have created their own association. They hold meetings and conferences where they communicate and exchange experiences. In addition, even the magazine “Life of Lamas” is published.
It is best to breed animals in climatic conditions familiar to them. It is known that llamas can easily withstand severe cold, rainy weather, but the intense heat and desert climate are unfavorable for them. Llama is absolutely undemanding to the conditions of keeping, they can be in the fresh air for a long time at any time of the year, including spending the night under open air. But it is still better to have a special unheated room or reliable shelter for them. Thick and long hair protects animals from winter frosts. In addition, they are highly resistant to traditional pet diseases.
Since llamas are adapted to life in a herd, it is recommended to keep several of these individuals, or at least a couple. It is also practiced to “share” single llamas with other farm animals. Since llamas feed on pasture, keeping them in a warm climate requires virtually no costs. In temperate latitudes, llamas are fed hay, plant debris and vegetables in winter.
The main business item when breeding llamas is obtaining valuable skins, warm thick fur, and wool. Llamas are cut in the spring, immediately after molting, so that their fur has time to grow sufficiently before the cold weather. The rich palette of animal colors (about 35 shades) allows you to obtain wool in a wide variety of colors, avoiding the use of any dyes. And thanks to the natural purity of the coat (unlike sheep, llama wool does not contain lanolin), you just need to cut and comb the strands well. And although alpaca wool is superior to llama wool in softness, this does not reduce the cost of the latter in any way.
LAMA(L. glama) is the only native species in America used as a beast of burden. It is domesticated ca. 1000 BC Incas in what is now Peru.
The height of an adult male at the withers is 120 cm. The neck is long and thin, the head is relatively small, usually raised high, and the ears are high and pointed. Domestic llamas have soft, shaggy fur, middle length; color varies from pure white to black-brown and piebald.
The ancestors of the lamas lived on the high plateaus in the Andes. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 27–45 kg per day over a distance of approx. 24 km. If the pack is too heavy, the llama stops and sits down: no punishment will make her overstrain: she will simply spit in the face of an annoying driver with smelly chewing gum.
Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never milked or loaded. Mating season is in September. After a pregnancy lasting 10–11 months, one cub is usually born. His mother feeds him with milk for six weeks, and llamas reach sexual maturity at three years.
The Incas ate the meat of males, but only on special occasions, and females were never slaughtered. During religious festivals, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the lightning god Ilyapa was supposed to be piebald (to match the color of the stormy sky), and the sun god Inti was supposed to be white.
The oldest known ancestors of llamas and camels appeared about 40 million years ago in North America, from where they spread along the isthmuses to South America and Asia. By the end of the Pleistocene (about 1 million years ago), all North American camelids became extinct.
ALPACA(L. pacos) is a domestic animal developed by the Incas approximately 3,000 years ago as a source of wool. Nowadays, herds of alpacas of 100–200 heads are kept mainly by Peruvian Indians on the high Andean plateaus. Externally, the animals resemble sheep. The fleece reaches a length of 60 cm; It produces a fabric highly valued throughout the world for its softness, insulating properties and durability.
Alpacas are slender, lightly built, with narrow pointed ears, a short shaggy tail, long legs and a long neck. Height at withers approx. 90 cm, color varies from piebald to yellowish-brown. Offspring are born in February - March; newborns are covered with fur, sighted, and within a few minutes they rise to their feet and begin to suckle their mother.
Attempts to breed alpacas in other regions have not brought significant success. Although the meat of the animals is very tasty, they are not slaughtered because alpacas are too valuable a source of wool.
The height of the guanaco at the withers is approx. 120 cm. He has a long head with large protruding and pointed ears. The skin is shaggy, yellowish-brown, gradually becoming ash-gray on the neck and head. The animal is graceful, resembling a deer or antelope in proportions, but with a more elongated neck. Guanaco – excellent swimmers: They were seen swimming from island to island in the Cape Horn area.
Mating season in August–September; after a pregnancy lasting 11 months, a single cub is born. The mother feeds him with milk for 6 weeks, but allows him near the udder for the same amount of time, despite the fact that he begins to consume plant food.
Guanaco meat is highly prized by the Indians. Whole piles of bones of these animals have been discovered in Patagonia - possibly the remains of their mass slaughter by the aborigines or early Spanish settlers.
On ranches in the Andes, guanacos are bred for their fur, which is used to make clothing and jewelry. It resembles a fox and is used both in in kind, and painted. Newborn animals are slaughtered for smushki (skins), from which beautiful capes are sewn.
Vicuñas have the same body proportions as other llamas, and the height at the withers is less than 90 cm. The animals roam in herds of 10–12 females with young animals, headed by a male leader. He is constantly on guard and often watches the surrounding area from a high peak, emitting a shrill whistle at the first sign of danger.
The beautiful reddish fur of vicunas is formed by very thin and soft hair and is better in quality than chinchilla fur. Fleece produces excellent wool fabrics. Uncontrolled fishing has led to the almost complete extermination of the species in large parts of its range, and these animals are now strictly protected by the Peruvian government.
The Andes, the South American part of the Cordillera mountain system, stretch along the entire western coast of South America. The Andes stretch for 7,500 km from Colombia to Patagonia. The landscapes of these mountains are surprisingly diverse: rain forests on the eastern slope and desert on the western, wet meadows - paramo - above 2500 m and puna - semi-desert plateaus, located from 3800 to 4800 m above sea level. The Andes are natural barrier between the coast and internal part continent, separating plant and animal species. At the foot of the mountains in equatorial belt spread out hot and humid rainforests. As the altitude increases deciduous trees is replaced by conifers, which, in turn, give way to low-growing shrubs and herbs.
It is in these places, at an altitude of 3500 to 5500 m above sea level, that llamas, the South American relatives of camels, graze. This is a ruminant artiodactyl animal from the callosopod family. Llamas are also called humpless camels of America. They have no hooves, and their two-toed limbs have blunt, curved claws. When walking, they rely not on the ends of the fingers, but on their phalanges. The lower surface of the foot is formed by an elastic, callused cushion, from which these mammals get their name.
Llamas are much smaller in size than their Asian relatives. Big eyes with touching eyelashes, sensitive ears and unusually warm coat, long and protecting from piercing mountain winds.
Callous-footed animals feed exclusively on plant foods and have acquired a complex three-chambered stomach for better assimilation. After all, grass is not very high in calories, and camels in the desert have to eat only thorns. You can't lose a single gram nutrient! A more complex structure of the stomach can be found only in artiodactyls.
In calluses, red blood cells are not oval, but disc-shaped. No one has anything like this! Why this device was needed is unknown.
Llama (Lama guanicoe) is a large herbivore. It feeds on grass and young leaves. Llamas can also live for long periods without water. They have thick, warm fur that protects them from the cold at high altitudes. Unlike camels, llamas' toes move independently of each other, which gives them greater stability on rocky slopes. Thanks to this, llamas are able to move at high speed even in the mountains.
There are 4 varieties of llamas: 2 domestic (llama and alpaca) and 2 wild (guanaco and vicuña). These animals can interbreed with each other. The llama, like the alpaca, appeared as a result of the domestication of the guanaco by the Incas already 6-7 thousand years ago.
Lamas have long been successfully bred in captivity for meat, wool, excellent milk, and as beasts of burden. With a load of 25-35 kg they can travel 20 km per day. They patiently endure any load, but, tired of walking with too heavy a burden, they lie down on the ground and resolutely refuse to move, and sometimes literally spit on their driver.
Alpaca is bred mainly for its silky and fine fleece up to 12 cm long, which is highly prized.
This beauty has one drawback: sometimes the llama spits. But this is not due to a lack of respect, in the same way the animal drives away its enemies from itself. Therefore, coming too close to even a domesticated llama, much less teasing it, is not recommended.
Llama and alpaca live 15-20 years. Body length 1.5-2 m, tail - 20-25 cm, height at withers - from 1.20 to 2.25 m, weight 130-155 kg. Color: brown or whitish, plain, piebald or spotted, but one of the most common colors is reddish brown with large white spots on the neck. The wool is rough.
Usually llamas live in a harem. Males live with 4-10 females and their babies. However, sometimes there are herds of lonely males or females who have left their harem. The age of puberty occurs between 9 and 18 months. Mating can take place throughout the year. Pregnancy lasts 1 year, every 2 years the female gives birth to only one baby (less often 2), which is called “cria”. The weight of the cub at birth is 8-16 kg.
Lama, like a camel, makes specific cries. They spit to establish hierarchical relationships in the group and to call the most restless and irritable relatives to order.
The number of llamas is dwindling compared to the number of alpacas, which are farmed for their fur. There are now 3.7 million lamas, of which 70% live in Bolivia.
Recently, llamas have also been bred in North America: it has turned out that they are excellent shepherds, capable of protecting flocks of sheep from attacks by coyotes.
Vignon llama is a type of wild llama. It is found only in one place - in the Andes. Vigoni love to live at high altitude. Their body length reaches 190 cm, height - 110 cm, and weight - 50 kg. The coat is thick, reddish in color. On the chest, it is longer and forms a shirt-front. The male gathers around him a harem of 10 - 15 females. Those males who do not yet have females live together, the composition of their herd is constantly changing.
At the end of spring - beginning of summer among the Vigonians the rut is underway. Then, for 11 months, females bear 1-2 cubs. There were times when the Vigones grazed in large herds in the Andes. The Inca Indians periodically set special traps for them.
Those caught in them were shorn and released back to their herd. Clothes made from Vigon wool could not be worn by ordinary Incas. This honor belonged only to the leaders and priests. Currently, such catching is not carried out due to the extremely small number of vigones in the wild. They are trying to breed them in captivity, but they are very demanding of living conditions, unlike other llamas that take root well in captivity. In total, about 6 thousand individuals of Vigoni have survived in the world.
Vigone wool is highly prized. It produces magnificent soft woolen fabrics that are more valuable than cashmere. The Vigonian population is currently quite small. This species needs protection, and therefore is listed in the International Red Book.
A close relative of the llama, also living in South America, is the vicuña, but it has not yet been tamed. Vicuna - the smallest and most graceful llama - lives only in the Andes high altitudes. Vicuñas are valued for their thick and soft fur, so these animals are in danger of extinction due to excessive hunting.
Guanaco - a wild llama - lives not only in the mountains, but also in steppes and semi-deserts. The ancient Incas domesticated wild llamas. Until now, residents of South America use domestic llamas, and they use camels in the deserts of Asia and Africa.
Guanaco is the largest herbivore in Patagonia. It is not as picky in choosing plant food as the vicuña, and eats almost any vegetation. It obtains the moisture necessary for life from food. IN mating season Fierce fights occur between male guanacos. They bite each other's necks and fight with their front legs. The winner of the fight collects a harem, sometimes consisting of hundreds of females. Young guanacos are easily tamed and, when crossed with other types of llamas, produce healthy offspring.
Lama guanaco is the prey of the largest predator of these places - the Patagonian puma. Other predators also come to Patagonia in search of food - the jaguarundi wild cat, which is smaller in size than the puma, as well as representatives of the canine family - the coyote and the Patagonian gray fox.
A short message about the llama will tell you about this mammal of the camelid family. Also, a report on the llama will help you prepare for class and improve your knowledge of biology.
WITH message about lama
Llamas belong to the camelid family of mammals. They were domesticated by humans a long time ago - about 6,000 years ago. This was done by the Andean Indians. In South America, llamas were the only animals that transported cargo. Before horses were brought to the continent, of course. They are best adapted to life in the highlands.
Description of the llama
Turning to history, you will be surprised - but the llama is an ancient animal. More than 40 million years ago they lived on the plains of North America, and 3 million mammals migrated to South America and now live in the Andes. This slender animal is somewhat reminiscent of a deer: only the neck is longer and there are no horns on the head. The llama reaches a height of 1-2 meters and weighs up to 200 kg. The head is small, on which there are pointed, erect ears. The color of the animal is varied: from white to black and brown. A male llama can carry a pack of up to 50 kg and walk more than 25 km along mountain paths.
Today the genus of llamas has 2 varieties. The first is alpaca. They are smaller in size and slightly different in appearance. On average, an alpaca is 1 meter tall and weighs 70 kg. The fur is long and soft. They live in Ecuador, Northern Chile, Peru and Western Bolivia. They are bred for their wool. The second type of llama is the guanaco. They are wilder and live in the Andes at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters. Animals are unpretentious in food. The wool is thick and protects the guanaco from the wind and cold. Strong leg muscles allow llamas to run about 50 km/h. Guanacos live in herds, in which there is only one male, young animals and up to two dozen females.
In South American countries, a number of laws have been passed that protect lamas. Most of them live in special nurseries, where they are fed and protected from predators (cougars). These animals are not an endangered species. They are actively bred and used in agriculture. Blankets are made from their wool, and the meat is eaten. Clothes are made from dressed llama skin, and candles are made from animal fat.
What do llamas eat?
Animals eat everything - hay, grass, twigs and leaves. If they are kept in captivity, then llamas are fed with oats, carrots, grains, and apples.
Llama breeding
Puberty of animals occurs at the age of 9-18 months. Mating takes place throughout the year. The female's pregnancy lasts a year. Every 2 years one baby weighing 8-16 kg is born. In the period of August - September, the battles of males for their ladies begin. They bite, spit, engage in hand-to-hand combat.
Lama: interesting facts
- At the lama's special structure stomach - it consists of 3 compartments. Therefore, their body digests anything.
- Llamas defecate in one place, thus creating their own toilets.
- Female llamas are used only for breeding. They are not milked and are used as a beast of burden.
- The ancient Incas depicted the lama as a deity who guarded shepherds.
- Llamas spit when they want to drive away enemies.
We hope that the message about the llama helped you learn more about this amazing animal, which has long been domesticated by man. You can leave your story about the lama using the comment form below.
Domain: Eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordates
Class: Mammals
Squad: Artiodactyls
Family: Camelids
Genus: Llamas
Story
The ancestors of animals lived in North and South America millions of years ago. It is known that llamas were domesticated about four thousand years ago by South American Indians - residents of Peru. The ancestors were guanacos who lived (and still live) in the mountains of Peru called the Andes.
The Indians immediately noticed that these animals could make their life much easier: provide good wool, meat, and transport heavy loads. And in this way, llamas, already tamed to people, for a long time before the appearance of horses in South America in the last millennium, were the only assistants in the transportation of goods.
Nowadays, lamas include the lamas themselves and their ancestors, the guanacos, who live in wild conditions to this day in South America.
Where does the llama live?
Llamas are found over a wide area along the Andes. Small herds are found in Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. The homeland of these animals is the Altiplano, a place in the southeast of Peru, as well as the west of Bolivia in the high Andes.
Llamas are animals that live on low plateaus that are covered with thickets of bushes, low-growing trees and grasses. They live quite comfortably in the Altiplano region, in temperate climatic conditions, and these animals avoid the southern dry and desert areas. The llama does not live in the savannah. These areas do not provide them with enough food.
Description
The llama is a herbivore, adapted to life high in the mountains. It reaches a height at the withers of 120–130 centimeters, and a weight of 70–80 kilograms. Thanks to the long neck, the height to the top of the head reaches up to two meters! The color can be very diverse: white, gray, dark, brown, golden, with or without spots. They live for about 20 years. In llamas you can also notice an elongated thin neck, large eyes and pointed ears.
Unlike camels, our Andean inhabitants are distinguished by the fact that they lack a hump. Also, unlike their relatives, they are usually found in cool places or mountains because they have double hooves with padded toes adapted for moving in the mountains. But they, just like camels, can start spitting if they don’t like something.
These are herd animals, so they need to be kept with at least two or three more individuals.
Females reach sexual maturity in the first year of life, and males in the third. The male has two, three or more females in his harem, which usually give birth to one cub after 11–12 months of pregnancy.
Descendants of the inhabitants of the Andes are also found in captivity in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. Thanks to their adaptability to life in the mountains, they became widespread in the Alps (Europe). They are also often found in lowlands in temperate latitudes.
Kinds
The genus of llamas includes 3 species, two of which were domesticated several thousand years ago - these are llamas (lat. Lama glama) and alpacas (lat. Lama pacos), and guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe) is still a wild species. All types of llamas are found only in South America.
1st type – Lama (lat. Lama glama)
These animals were first domesticated by the Andean Indians and began to play important role in the development of cattle breeding.
Prior to the introduction of horses and sheep into South America, the llama was the only large domestic animal used to carry heavy loads. A three-year-old male llama is able to carry a pack weighing up to 50 kilograms (this is with its own weight of no more than 75 kilograms) and travel a distance of 25 kilometers with it in a day. In mountainous regions at an altitude of over 2700 meters, llamas are still widely used as pack transport. It's not the best major representative genus Lam from the family of camelids. The body length of the animal varies from 120 to 200 centimeters, weight - 75-80 kilograms, and height at the withers - about 120 centimeters. On a thin neck there is a small head with high pointed ears.
Lamas and camels have a lot common features, except for one - they do not have a hump. Just like llama camels, in case of irritation, they spit chewed gum at the offender. Llamas are famous all over the world for their soft wool, although in quality it is still inferior to alpaca wool. The animal can be of various colors - from almost white to black-brown.
Only males are used for cargo transportation, females are intended exclusively for reproduction, and they are never milked.
2nd species – Alpaca (lat. Vicugna pacos)
Alpacas are another type of llama. They were the first of the two species to be domesticated, about 6,000 years ago by the Indians of Peru.
They are bred in the mountainous regions of South America (Andes) solely for their wool. Most alpacas live in Peru, although their habitat extends through Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Chile and western Bolivia.
The current population of alpacas is about 3 million individuals. They are shorn once every 2 years, removing from each animal a little more than 1 kilogram of the beautiful fine wool for which they are so famous. Warm and soft blankets, clothes and rugs are made from it. Alpacas are slightly smaller than llamas. Their height does not exceed 1 meter, their weight is no more than 70 kilograms, and their fur is longer (15-20 centimeters) and softer than that of llamas.
There are 2 types of alpacas, which differ from each other only in appearance wools are Suri and Huacaya. In the former, it is long and outwardly resembles pigtails, while in the latter it is softer. Their wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. In addition, it is not covered with sebum and things made from it remain clean for a long time.
Like all representatives of the Llama genus, alpacas are herbivores, but, unlike llamas, they lack front teeth, so they are forced to pinch grass with their lips and use their side teeth when chewing.
And the last, third species - Guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe)
Its name comes from the Quechua language - wanaku. The guanaco is a wild relative of camels that still survives in the Andes (from southern Peru through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego) at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. A small population of these animals lives in Paraguay.
They run very well and can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h. Such speeds are necessary in order to save your life from various predators, for example, maned wolves, cougars or wild dogs.
Guanacos live in small herds of up to 20 animals. An adult male rules the herd, expelling all growing males older than 6-12 months from his harem. They start living alone or join male groups.
The breeding season begins in August and lasts until February. For the possession of a female, males have to endure a fight with another applicant. It is somewhat reminiscent of the fight between camels during the rutting period, when they rise on their hind legs and begin to bite each other, as well as kick with their front legs. All " hand-to-hand combat"is accompanied by spitting out the contents of the stomach. Gestation lasts 11 months, after which only one cub is born, very rarely two. The lactation period lasts 4 months. Guanacos live for a long time - about 20 years, and in captivity even longer - about 30.
Locals These animals are hunted for their valuable wool, skin and tasty meat, therefore, unlike llamas and alpacas, the number of guanacos is rapidly declining. But in some countries, such as Peru and Chile, these animals are under state protection.
Lifestyle and behavior
Like camels, llamas are intelligent and sociable animals that lead a herd lifestyle. They are quite harmless, but if you anger them, for example, by shouldering an unbearable burden, they will immediately show their independent character. A dissatisfied llama will hiss, spit, and push, but the most effective behavior in such cases is a lying strike.
Neither carrot nor stick can move a tired and irritated llama, and the only way out of this situation is to transfer part of the luggage to another animal.
Since ancient times, more than five thousand years ago, lamas have become indispensable assistants of the Indians Central America in the transportation of heavy loads. Endurance and strong legs still help these strong pack animals navigate the narrow paths of mountain passes, carrying luggage weighing about fifty kilograms.
To acquire such valuable assistants, the Indians of Peru domesticated the guanacos who lived on the high plateaus of the Andes. Two thousand years earlier, the third representatives of the llama family, alpacas, also became domesticated. However, they were (and still are) raised not for hard work, but for their beautiful, warm and durable wool. Llamas and alpacas are among the very first domesticated animals in human history.
Resistance to thirst and unpretentiousness in food have made llamas an important part of the life of South American peoples. However, despite the fact that the llama is capable of walking a distance of about thirty kilometers in a day, it does not have the strength of oxen, camels or horses, and therefore cannot be used to transport adults or heavy carts. And although its Inca owners invented the wheel, it is unlikely that at least one llama in its entire history has transported in a harness something heavier than an ordinary wheelbarrow.
Like sheep and cattle, llamas chew cud and can spit it in the face of the offender, as if to say: “Leave me alone!” However, this is quite rare, and in general llamas are wonderful companions for their owners. They are calm, friendly, easy to train, and even a child can handle them.
Nutrition
As food, llamas use herbaceous vegetation, leaves and branches of bushes, young growth of trees, and are especially fond of ferns. The need for food in these animals is minimal compared to other closely related representatives of the fauna: an adult llama consumes no more than 3 kg of hay per day. In addition, they are very picky eaters. In the absence of their usual food, llamas can eat vegetables, root vegetables, fruits, as well as moss and lichen. At home, animals' favorite treats are carrots, cabbage, apples, and bread. Domestic llamas also need constant access to fresh water.
Llama breeding
Llamas are polygamous animals. The male collects a harem of 5-6 females per certain territory, then aggressively drives away all other males that accidentally enter the selected area. Young males expelled from the harem form herds while they are still young to breed, but they soon form harems of their own as they reach maturity.
Llamas are capable of producing fertile offspring when crossed with other members of the genus. They mate in late summer or early autumn. After mating, the female llama bears the offspring for about 360 days and gives birth to one cub almost every year. The newborn is able to follow its mother about an hour after birth. He weighs about 10 kg and gradually gains weight over four months as the female feeds him milk. At the age of two years, young llamas give birth.
Basically, the female llama takes care of the offspring, providing protection and care for the cub up to one year. The male llama is only indirectly involved; he defends the territory to provide food for his herd of females and young individuals. Males constantly compete with other males for the same food resources and protect the harem from attack by predators and other males. When the young llamas are about one year old, the male chases them away. Domesticated llamas can live more than 20 years, but most live about 15 years.
Meaning for humans
The llama is a pack animal that is capable of carrying loads that exceed its own weight. These animals are indispensable in mountainous areas, where they are used for transportation, which greatly helps local residents. With heavy bales they travel tens of kilometers a day.
In addition to transporting goods, for people who keep llamas, this animal is valuable in many aspects: they are sheared and their wool is used to make clothing. Coarse, thick and unusually warm llama wool is a very valuable material. Llamas are sheared every two years, getting about three kilograms of wool from one animal. For the local population, felting wool products is a significant source of income.
IN farms Llamas are used to protect flocks of sheep from attacks by predators. Several llamas are introduced into a herd of sheep or goats and the llamas guard them, preventing attacks by cougars and coyotes. Llama meat (only males) is used for food: it is a dietary product. The most delicious meat is considered to be the meat of animals not older than one year - it is very tender and juicy.
- The homeland of llamas is Peru (South America).
- Llamas were domesticated by Andean Indians around 1000 BC.
- Llamas spit when angered.
- Llamas belong to the camelid family, but unlike camels they do not have a hump, but otherwise they are similar.
- Male llamas are used as transport animals for transporting heavy loads across mountain ranges along paths that are inaccessible to transport (they transport 27-45 kg of cargo over a distance of about 24 km per day). If the weight exceeds more than 50 kg, the llama simply stops and sits down, and if the mahout forces it to rise, the llama will simply spit in his face.
- Female llamas are never milked or used for transportation; they are used only for breeding.
- Another amazing property of llamas is their cleanliness. The excrement of these animals is always collected in one place, at a distance from fields, paths, grazing places (feeders). This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas thus masked their location from dangerous predators. Among the local population, mainly Bolivians and Peruvians, dried llama litter is an excellent fuel.
Lama very interesting for its appearance. Although they are close to camels, in general they do not resemble a camel. They have no humps, much shorter legs, a long neck, and are several times smaller in size. Moreover, they live not only in different areas, but even on different continents. There, no less, camels and llamas have similar character traits and behavior.
There are now llamas in almost every zoo and people can get to know them better in almost every city in Russia. Everyone knows llama wool - valuable fur products and clothing. Llamas are better known as pets; in the wild, their survival rate is lower and their numbers are declining due to shooting. In agriculture, they are actively bred, cared for and used for work.
Origin of the species and description
Llamas belong to the camel family, the genus of llamas. Camels are divided into only two genera: the genus of camels and the genus of llamas, which cannot interbreed with each other, which is why such a division was carried out. Scientists managed to artificially cross a llama with a dromedary camel, but this does not happen in nature, this is only a scientific experiment.
Camels and llamas presumably have common roots with. They appeared in North America about 40 million years ago. Later they migrated to South America, and then to Europe. Llamas, unlike camels themselves, are adapted to a different habitat; desert terrain does not suit them; they settle in the mountains and inhabit the Andes. The exact time of their appearance is not known, but it is known that llamas were domesticated around 1000 BC by Andean Indians. Another type of llama, alpacas, were domesticated much earlier, approximately 6,000 years ago by the Indians of Peru.
Video: Lama
Back then they had no other pack animals; llamas were the only animals that could carry loads. With their own relatively low weight of about 100 kg, llamas are capable of carrying up to 50 kg on their back, over distances of up to 25 km per day. However, usually more than 25 kg per animal is not loaded. Llamas are much smaller than camels; if a camel’s height at the withers is from two to two and a half meters, then a llama’s height is only a little more than a meter. Llamas have a very similar head shape to a camel, and they also tend to spit. This feature is characteristic of the entire camel family.
There are three types of llamas in total:
- llamas;
- guanaco.
Appearance and features
Llamas look like deer and camels at the same time. However, they have neither horns nor humps. The body is elongated, reaching two meters, rounded and large in cross section, but quite low - the animal’s height at the withers is only a little over one meter, but the llama’s height is slightly compensated by its long, elongated neck. Males are slightly larger than females, which is why people use them for cargo transportation. But the females are kept exclusively for breeding and wool, they are not even milked.
The head is small, elongated, very similar to a camel's. The ears are long, erect, and pointed at the ends. The eyes are black, large, round, located on the sides, framed by thick eyelashes. Llamas lack front teeth; they pinch grass with their lips and grind it with their side teeth.
The llama's neck is disproportionately long and thin compared to the body; it adds a good half of the animal's height. The total height is about two meters, it is at this height that the small head of the animal is located.
Legs are short and thin. The hooves are cloven and there are large calluses on the soles, which is why they, together with camels, are classified into the suborder of calloseds. This is a kind of adaptation to a rocky or hot surface, so that the animal has a reduced chance of injuring its foot. The tail is short, up to 40 cm, looks like a ball of wool.
The entire body of llamas is covered with thick, long fluffy hair. It protects animals from strong winds and cold weather present in their habitats. Its color varies from white to dark brown and brown shades. The fur on the neck, head and legs is shorter, but the body and tail are covered with very voluminous fur. Llamas also have a hairstyle that looks like a fluffy wig.
Alpaca wool is of particular value; it is the softest and is completely free of sebum. Things made from such wool look very fresh and expensive. On the market, the price for alpaca wool is the highest among llamas.
Where does the llama live?
All types of llamas live exclusively in South America, and in its mountainous part. According to the supposed data of researchers, llamas initially lived in flat North America, but then moved to South America and settled in the mountainous area high in the Andes.
Llamas' hooves are wide and adapted to walking on sharp stones. They have very thick skin on their soles, similar to calluses, which allows them to safely step on sharp surfaces. Two types of llamas, namely the llama itself and alpacas, have long been domesticated and live with people. Males are used for cargo, meat and leather. Females are kept for breeding, but they are killed for meat extremely rarely, moreover, they are not even milked.
All animals are shorn twice a year, collecting up to one kilogram of wool per individual. Llama wool is highly prized. Llamas are also kept in yards like watchdogs. They react to strangers and make a sign, but then retreat to their safe place. But at this time, residents are already informed about the uninvited guests.
The wilder species of llama Guanaco also lives in the inaccessible highlands of Peru and Chile. They are hunted. Therefore, their numbers are much smaller than those of the other two species. Largest number llamas in Bolivia and constitutes approximately 70% of all individuals.
What does a llama eat?
Llamas are unpretentious in food and the amount of food they consume is small, which makes this animal even more convenient to keep for agriculture. The amount eaten per day is approximately eight times less than that of horses.
Llamas eat vegetation:
- shrubs;
- lichens;
- evergreen parastephya;
- bacharis;
- cereals.
These plants contain a large number of microelements and minerals, which allows you to replenish the balance after hard physical labor. Llamas live in arid climates, so they get all their liquid from greens. It is important that their food contains a large amount of succulent foods so that they do not experience dehydration.
Among the llama's favorite delicacies, a special place is occupied by carrots, white cabbage, broccoli, oranges, especially their skins, and some other root vegetables and fruits. Llamas love to be treated to bread. Depending on the age of the llama, the diet may vary. Young individuals may prefer more succulent food, since they need a lot of water and vitamins for growth and normal development. The taste preferences of pregnant females also change greatly; they strongly depend on the missing substances in the individual’s body.
All domesticated llamas eat like other livestock species, such as sheep or goats. The main type of food is grass and hay. The weight of the daily food intake is approximately 1.8% of the individual’s weight. Llamas easily adapt to new varieties of grass, food and hay, which is why they are so easy to care for at home. The amount of clean water consumed is also small, only a couple to three liters per day. On particularly hot days, llamas may need more water, but this rarely happens in the mountains.
Llamas have a three-chambered stomach, so food that gets inside is very thoroughly digested. It also increases the ability to digest food in general, so that the animal can digest branches and other unexpected food.
Features of character and lifestyle
Llamas are very calm; during the day they are active and graze, roaming in search of more succulent grasses. At night they rest near rocks, trees or in stalls. Thanks to their low maintenance and docile nature, llamas were quickly and easily tamed and used in agriculture. Despite their quiet temperament, llamas can run quite fast, sometimes reaching speeds of 50 km/h.
In the wild, herds are small. They usually consist of one male and up to ten females. There is a strict hierarchy in the herd. Outside males are strictly not accepted. To communicate with their relatives, llamas use body language, which consists of tilting the ears, turning the neck and various positions of the body. In case of danger, they make low roaring sounds, similar to those of donkeys.
Llamas have very good eyesight, as well as smell and hearing. All three qualities together help them flee at the slightest danger. They can sense the presence or approach of potential enemies even at a great distance. Shepherds learned to use this ability by enlisting llamas to guard herds of smaller animals such as sheep or goats.
The nature of llamas suits attempts to train these animals. There are shows where llamas follow certain human commands and learn to perform certain tricks. The lifespan of llamas in the wild is approximately 20 years, in captivity it is even longer, up to 30 years.
Interesting fact: one of the characteristics of these animals is their cleanliness. Llama excrement is always collected in one place, away from fields, grazing areas, feeders and from trails and grazing areas. This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas have learned to disguise their location in this way in order to hide from dangerous predators.
Social structure and reproduction
Llamas are herd animals and keep in large groups. Usually this is one male, several females, sometimes up to ten, and young animals - the offspring of the past year. Males protect their herd and protect them from other males. They engage in fights with strangers, bite, kick, and can spit on the enemy or enemies. However, llamas easily allow sheep and goats into their flock and even take care of them as young animals.
Each male is trying to create his own herd and recruit females with whom he will breed. The mating season for llamas runs from August to November. The male mates with all the females from his herd. Pregnancy lasts approximately 11 months, namely 350 days. The female then gives birth to one foal; in very rare cases, there are two foals. After a couple of hours, the cubs can walk independently and begin to run. Females feed their cubs for up to four months, then the offspring completely switch to feeding on vegetation.
Scientists managed to obtain a hybrid of a llama and a dromedary camel; the resulting animals are called “kama” or “camel”. But in nature such reproduction is impossible, and the habitat of these two animals is too different. They even live on two different continents.
Natural enemies of llamas
The most important enemies of llamas are the animals that hunt them.
Among them:
- cougars;
They are the ones who share habitats with llamas. These animals hunt llamas as this is their way of survival and food. Moreover, the most dangerous situation is for llama cubs, as they are small in size, weak and therefore the most defenseless against predators. If a cub leaves the herd, it immediately becomes an attractive prey. But usually adult llamas make sure that the cubs stay close to them and do not lag behind.
Another dangerous enemy lam is a person. People actively hunted these animals for their wool, meat and skin. Llama fur coats are very expensive and warm, moreover, they are considered very beautiful. Many other things are also made from llama fur, not only in clothing, but also in interior design, as well as for warm carpets.
The meat of llamas is tasty, and the most delicious is considered to be that of one-year-old males. Domestic females are usually not used for meat, but shot wild ones are eaten indiscriminately.
Population and species status
The current population of llamas numbers about 3 million individuals, which is quite a lot. The animals are believed to be in no danger. Since they are also bred by people themselves, it is possible to regulate the birth rate and growth in the number of individuals if a decline suddenly begins to be observed.
The only thing is that with the wild species of guanaco everything can be more serious, since this type of llama is almost never bred, but they are still hunted. Because of this, the number of this species has greatly decreased. In Chile and Peru they are protected, and their shooting is controlled by law.
Man made llamas into pets for their resistance to harsh climatic conditions, thirst, endurance and unpretentiousness in food, as well as for its small amount of consumption. The animal turned out to be convenient for the South American peoples.
Domain: Eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordates
Class: Mammals
Squad: Artiodactyls
Family: Camelids
Genus: Llamas
Story
The ancestors of animals lived in North and South America millions of years ago. It is known that llamas were domesticated about four thousand years ago by South American Indians - residents of Peru. The ancestors were guanacos who lived (and still live) in the mountains of Peru called the Andes.
The Indians immediately noticed that these animals could make their life much easier: provide good wool, meat, and transport heavy loads. And in this way, llamas, already tamed to people, for a long time before the appearance of horses in South America in the last millennium, were the only assistants in the transportation of goods.
Nowadays, llamas include the llamas themselves and their ancestors - guanacos, who live in the wild to this day in South America.
Where does the llama live?
Llamas are found over a wide area along the Andes. Small herds are found in Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. The homeland of these animals is the Altiplano, a place in the southeast of Peru, as well as the west of Bolivia in the high Andes.
Llamas are animals that live on low plateaus that are covered with thickets of bushes, low-growing trees and grasses. They live quite comfortably in the Altiplano region, in temperate climatic conditions, and these animals avoid the southern dry and desert areas. The llama does not live in the savannah. These areas do not provide them with enough food.
Description
The llama is a herbivore, adapted to life high in the mountains. It reaches a height at the withers of 120–130 centimeters, and a weight of 70–80 kilograms. Thanks to the long neck, the height to the top of the head reaches up to two meters! The color can be very diverse: white, gray, dark, brown, golden, with or without spots. They live for about 20 years. In llamas you can also notice an elongated thin neck, large eyes and pointed ears.
Unlike camels, our Andean inhabitants are distinguished by the fact that they lack a hump. Also, unlike their relatives, they are usually found in cool places or mountains because they have double hooves with padded toes adapted for moving in the mountains. But they, just like camels, can start spitting if they don’t like something.
These are herd animals, so they need to be kept with at least two or three more individuals.
Females reach sexual maturity in the first year of life, and males in the third. The male has two, three or more females in his harem, which usually give birth to one cub after 11–12 months of pregnancy.
Descendants of the inhabitants of the Andes are also found in captivity in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. Thanks to their adaptability to life in the mountains, they became widespread in the Alps (Europe). They are also often found in lowlands in temperate latitudes.
Kinds
The genus of llamas includes 3 species, two of which were domesticated several thousand years ago - these are llamas (lat. Lama glama) and alpacas (lat. Lama pacos), and guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe) is still a wild species. All types of llamas are found only in South America.
1st type – Lama (lat. Lama glama)
For the first time, these animals were domesticated by the Andean Indians and began to play an important role in the development of cattle breeding.
Prior to the introduction of horses and sheep into South America, the llama was the only large domestic animal used to carry heavy loads. A three-year-old male llama is able to carry a pack weighing up to 50 kilograms (this is with its own weight of no more than 75 kilograms) and travel a distance of 25 kilometers with it in a day. In mountainous regions at an altitude of over 2700 meters, llamas are still widely used as pack transport. This is not the largest representative of the Lama genus from the camelid family. The body length of the animal varies from 120 to 200 centimeters, weight - 75-80 kilograms, and height at the withers - about 120 centimeters. On a thin neck there is a small head with high pointed ears.
Llamas and camels have many common features, except for one thing - they do not have a hump. Just like llama camels, in case of irritation, they spit chewed gum at the offender. Llamas are famous all over the world for their soft wool, although in quality it is still inferior to alpaca wool. The animal can be of various colors - from almost white to black-brown.
Only males are used for cargo transportation, females are intended exclusively for reproduction, and they are never milked.
2nd species – Alpaca (lat. Vicugna pacos)
Alpacas are another type of llama. They were the first of the two species to be domesticated, about 6,000 years ago by the Indians of Peru.
They are bred in the mountainous regions of South America (Andes) solely for their wool. Most alpacas live in Peru, although their habitat extends through Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Chile and western Bolivia.
The current population of alpacas is about 3 million individuals. They are shorn once every 2 years, removing from each animal a little more than 1 kilogram of the beautiful fine wool for which they are so famous. Warm and soft blankets, clothes and rugs are made from it. Alpacas are slightly smaller than llamas. Their height does not exceed 1 meter, their weight is no more than 70 kilograms, and their fur is longer (15-20 centimeters) and softer than that of llamas.
There are 2 types of alpacas that differ from each other only in the appearance of their wool - these are Suri and Huacaya. In the former, it is long and outwardly resembles pigtails, while in the latter it is softer. Their wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. In addition, it is not covered with sebum and things made from it remain clean for a long time.
Like all representatives of the Llama genus, alpacas are herbivores, but, unlike llamas, they lack front teeth, so they are forced to pinch grass with their lips and use their side teeth when chewing.
And the last, third species - Guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe)
Its name comes from the Quechua language - wanaku. The guanaco is a wild relative of camels that still survives in the Andes (from southern Peru through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego) at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. A small population of these animals lives in Paraguay.
They run very well and can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h. Such speeds are necessary in order to save your life from various predators, for example, maned wolves, pumas or wild dogs.
Guanacos live in small herds of up to 20 animals. An adult male rules the herd, expelling all growing males older than 6-12 months from his harem. They start living alone or join male groups.
The breeding season begins in August and lasts until February. For the possession of a female, males have to endure a fight with another applicant. It is somewhat reminiscent of the fight between camels during the rutting period, when they rise on their hind legs and begin to bite each other, as well as kick with their front legs. The whole "hand-to-hand combat" is accompanied by spitting of the contents of the stomach. Gestation lasts 11 months, after which only one cub is born, very rarely two. The lactation period lasts 4 months. Guanacos live for a long time - about 20 years, and in captivity even longer - about 30.
Local residents hunt these animals for their valuable wool, skin and tasty meat, therefore, unlike llamas and alpacas, the number of guanacos is rapidly declining. But in some countries, such as Peru and Chile, these animals are under state protection.
Lifestyle and behavior
Like camels, llamas are intelligent and sociable animals that lead a herd lifestyle. They are quite harmless, but if you anger them, for example, by shouldering an unbearable burden, they will immediately show their independent character. A dissatisfied llama will hiss, spit, and push, but the most effective behavior in such cases is a lying strike.
Neither carrot nor stick can move a tired and irritated llama, and the only way out of this situation is to transfer part of the luggage to another animal.
Since ancient times, more than five thousand years ago, llamas have become indispensable assistants to the Indians of Central America in transporting heavy loads. Endurance and strong legs still help these strong pack animals navigate the narrow paths of mountain passes, carrying luggage weighing about fifty kilograms.
To acquire such valuable assistants, the Indians of Peru domesticated the guanacos who lived on the high plateaus of the Andes. Two thousand years earlier, the third representatives of the llama family, alpacas, also became domesticated. However, they were (and still are) raised not for hard work, but for their beautiful, warm and durable wool. Llamas and alpacas are among the very first domesticated animals in human history.
Resistance to thirst and unpretentiousness in food have made llamas an important part of the life of South American peoples. However, despite the fact that the llama is capable of walking a distance of about thirty kilometers in a day, it does not have the strength of oxen, camels or horses, and therefore cannot be used to transport adults or heavy carts. And although its Inca owners invented the wheel, it is unlikely that at least one llama in its entire history has transported in a harness something heavier than an ordinary wheelbarrow.
Like sheep and cattle, llamas chew cud and can spit it in the face of the offender, as if to say: “Leave me alone!” However, this is quite rare, and in general llamas are wonderful companions for their owners. They are calm, friendly, easy to train, and even a child can handle them.
Nutrition
As food, llamas use herbaceous vegetation, leaves and branches of bushes, young growth of trees, and are especially fond of ferns. The need for food in these animals is minimal compared to other closely related representatives of the fauna: an adult llama consumes no more than 3 kg of hay per day. In addition, they are very picky eaters. In the absence of their usual food, llamas can eat vegetables, root vegetables, fruits, as well as moss and lichen. At home, animals' favorite treats are carrots, cabbage, apples, and bread. Domestic llamas also need constant access to fresh water.
Llama breeding
Meaning for humans
The llama is a pack animal that is capable of carrying loads that exceed its own weight. These animals are indispensable in mountainous areas, where they are used for transportation, which greatly helps local residents. With heavy bales they travel tens of kilometers a day.
In addition to transporting goods, for people who keep llamas, this animal is valuable in many aspects: they are sheared and their wool is used to make clothing. Coarse, thick and unusually warm llama wool is a very valuable material. Llamas are sheared every two years, getting about three kilograms of wool from one animal. For the local population, felting wool products is a significant source of income.
On farms, llamas are used to protect flocks of sheep from attacks by predators. Several llamas are introduced into a herd of sheep or goats and the llamas guard them, preventing attacks by cougars and coyotes. Llama meat (only males) is used for food: it is a dietary product. The most delicious meat is considered to be the meat of animals not older than one year - it is very tender and juicy.
- The homeland of llamas is Peru (South America).
- Llamas were domesticated by Andean Indians around 1000 BC.
- Llamas spit when angered.
- Llamas belong to the camelid family, but unlike camels they do not have a hump, but otherwise they are similar.
- Male llamas are used as transport animals for transporting heavy loads across mountain ranges along paths that are inaccessible to transport (they transport 27-45 kg of cargo over a distance of about 24 km per day). If the weight exceeds more than 50 kg, the llama simply stops and sits down, and if the mahout forces it to rise, the llama will simply spit in his face.
- Female llamas are never milked or used for transportation; they are used only for breeding.
- Another amazing property of llamas is their cleanliness. The excrement of these animals is always collected in one place, at a distance from fields, paths, grazing places (feeders). This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas thus masked their location from dangerous predators. Among the local population, mainly Bolivians and Peruvians, dried llama litter is an excellent fuel.
The Quechua Indians called this animal wanaku. This is where its name came from - guanaco. Guanacos have long played a significant role in the life of the local population. This is evidenced by the fact that in Argentina there is a city of Guanaco.
The guanaco llama lives in South America. In the old days these dromedary camels inhabited almost the entire continent, since they were quite satisfied with living conditions both at sea level and high in the mountains, in the steppes and savannas, in bushes and forests. Now the habitat of these animals has been reduced to the territory of the Andes and the mountainous regions of western Paraguay due to pastures taken away from the guanacos and poachers who destroy hundreds of these animals every year. Delicious meat, valuable fur and skin of the guanaco attract hunters and poachers. Therefore, to restore the number of guanacos, these animals are taken under state protection in Chile and Peru.
IN Lately They began to be bred on ranches for their lush fur. Usually shy, guanacos, in places where they are cared for, become quite curious and can get very close to people.
The guanaco's diet is very simple: grass, leaves, twigs of trees and shrubs. Like the familiar camels, the guanaco llama can go for a long time without water. However, if water is available, he drinks it regularly. Interestingly, the guanaco can drink even slightly salty water.
Guanacos are cautious animals. When the whole group is grazing, one of the animals is on alert, and when danger approaches, it makes a loud sound - an alarm signal. And the herd flees, developing a speed of about 50 km/h.
Guanacos live in groups of two types. One group is a "harem" with one adult male and several females with cubs. Once the young males become sexually mature, the adult male drives them away and the males form men's company, in which over time there may also be old males unsuitable for procreation.
From August to February there are battles between males for the favor of the ladies. These battles are accompanied by biting, spitting and “hand-to-hand combat”, when the fighting males stand on their hind limbs and “treat” each other with blows with their forelimbs.
When passions subside, after eleven months the female usually gives birth to one cub, which the mother feeds with milk for about four months.
All llamas have one feature. They defecate in a certain place, arranging peculiar toilets. The Indians have long noticed this feature of the guanaco and use the dung of these animals as fuel, collecting it in the same place.
The lifespan of a guanaco in natural conditions is 20 years, and in captivity it can reach 30 years.
Video: guanako in HD
The llama (Lama glama) belongs to the camelid family, suborder Callopods, order Artiodactyla.
Lama spread.
Llamas are found along the Andes mountains. They are sold in North America, Europe and Australia. They are found exclusively in small herds in their homeland in Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The Altiplano region in southeastern Peru and western Bolivia in the high Andes is the origin of llamas.
Lama habitats.
Llamas live on low plateaus covered with various shrubs, low-growing trees and grasses. They survive in the Altiplano region, where climatic conditions quite temperate, while the southern regions are dry, desert and harsh. Llamas are known to occur at altitudes of no more than 4,000 meters above sea level.
External signs of a llama.
Llamas, like other members of the camelid family, have long necks, long limbs, rounded faces with prominent lower incisors, and a split upper lip. They do not have humps, compared to camels found in Asia. Llamas are the largest species of this group of animals. They have long, shaggy fur that varies greatly in color. The main shade is reddish-brown, diluted with variegated white and yellowish splashes.
Llama is enough large mammals, having a height at the withers of 1.21 meters. The body length is about 1.2 m. Weight varies from 130 to 154 kilograms. Llamas do not have a real hoof, although they belong to the artiodactyls, they have two three-toed limbs with dense leathery mats on each foot along the sole. This is an important device for moving on rocky ground.
Llamas' toes are able to move independently; this feature helps them climb mountains at high speed. These animals have an unusually high percentage of oval red blood cells (RBCs) in their blood, hence an increased rate of hemoglobin, which ensure survival in oxygen-poor high-altitude environments. Like other members of the camelid family, llamas have distinctive teeth; adult llamas have developed upper incisors and lower incisors of regular length. The stomach consists of 3 chambers; when chewing food, chewing gum is formed.
Lama breeding.
Llamas are polygamous animals. The male collects a harem of 5-6 females in a certain territory, then aggressively drives away all other males who accidentally enter the selected area. Young males expelled from the harem form herds while they are still young to breed, but they soon form harems of their own as they reach maturity.
Old males and expelled young individuals live independently.
Llamas are capable of producing fertile offspring when crossed with other members of the genus. They mate in late summer or early autumn. After mating, the female llama bears the offspring for about 360 days and gives birth to one cub almost every year. The newborn is able to follow its mother about an hour after birth. He weighs about 10 kg and gradually gains weight over four months as the female feeds him milk. At the age of two years, young llamas give birth.
Basically, the female llama takes care of the offspring, providing protection and care for the cub up to one year. The male llama is only indirectly involved; he defends the territory to provide food for his herd of females and young individuals. Males constantly compete with other males for the same food resources and protect the harem from attack by predators and other males. When the young llamas are about one year old, the male chases them away. Domesticated llamas can live more than 20 years, but most live about 15 years.
Lama behavior.
Llamas are gregarious and social animals that live in groups of up to 20 individuals. The group includes about 6 females and the current year's offspring.
The male leads the herd and aggressively defends his position, participating in the dominant fight.
A strong male pounces on a competitor and tries to knock him to the ground, biting his limbs and wrapping his own long neck around the opponent’s neck. The defeated male lays down on the ground, which symbolizes his complete defeat; he lies on the ground with his neck lowered and his tail raised. Llamas are known to use common communal “toilets”, which are arranged at the boundaries of the occupied area; these unique marks serve as territorial demarcations. Like other camel llamas, llamas make low roaring sounds when predators appear to warn other members of the herd of danger. Llamas are quite skillful in defending themselves from attack; they kick, bite and spit on those animals that threaten them. The behavior of llamas in captivity resembles the habits of their wild relatives; even in captivity, males defend their territory, even if it is fenced. They welcome sheep into their family group and protect them as if they were little llamas. Because of their aggression and protectiveness towards other animals, llamas are used as guards for sheep, goats and horses.
Lama (Lama glama) at the Belgorod Zoo Llama food.
Llamas feed on low-growing shrubs, lichens and mountain vegetation. They eat the evergreen shrub parastephya, the baccharis shrub, and plants of the cereal family: munroa, brome, and bentgrass. Llamas tend to live in very dry climates and receive most moisture from food. They need about 2 to 3 liters of water per day, and their grass and hay intake amounts to 1.8% of their body weight. Llamas are ruminants. As pets, they are well adapted to the same food as sheep and goats.
Llama after haircut Meaning for a person.
Llamas are domesticated animals and therefore have important economic importance. Thick, coarse, but warm llama wool is a valuable material.
These animals are sheared every two years, collecting about 3 kg of wool from each llama.
For local residents, felting wool products is a source of income. Farmers use llamas to protect their flocks of sheep from predators. They include several llamas in a herd of sheep or goats, which the llamas guard against attacks by coyotes and cougars. Llamas are also used as golfers, attracting a lot of spectators for these competitions. There are special farms for breeding llamas. In the last century, llamas were used to transport goods across the Andes, they are very hardy and are able to carry a weight of over 60 kg for almost thirty kilometers in high altitude conditions. Local residents still use this type of transport in the mountains.
Conservation status of the llama.
Llamas are not an endangered species and are now quite widespread. There are about 3 million individuals worldwide, about 70% of llamas are found in Bolivia.
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The Andes, the South American part of the Cordillera mountain system, stretch along the entire western coast of South America. The Andes stretch for 7,500 km from Colombia to Patagonia. The landscapes of these mountains are surprisingly diverse: rain forests on the eastern slope and desert on the western, wet meadows - paramo - above 2500 m and puna - semi-desert plateaus, located from 3800 to 4800 m above sea level. The Andes are a natural barrier between the coast and the interior of the mainland, separating plant and animal species. At the foot of the mountains in the equatorial belt lie hot and humid tropical forests. As the height increases, deciduous trees are replaced by conifers, which, in turn, give way to low-growing shrubs and forbs.
It is in these places, at an altitude of 3500 to 5500 m above sea level, that llamas, the South American relatives of camels, graze. This is a ruminant artiodactyl animal from the callosopod family. Llamas are also called humpless camels of America. They have no hooves, and their two-toed limbs have blunt, curved claws. When walking, they rely not on the ends of the fingers, but on their phalanges. The lower surface of the foot is formed by an elastic, callused cushion, from which these mammals get their name.
Llamas are much smaller in size than their Asian relatives. Big eyes with touching eyelashes, sensitive ears and unusually warm coat, long and protecting from piercing mountain winds.
Callous-footed animals feed exclusively on plant foods and have acquired a complex three-chambered stomach for better assimilation. After all, grass is not very high in calories, and camels in the desert have to eat only thorns. You can't lose a single gram of nutrients! A more complex structure of the stomach can be found only in artiodactyls.
In calluses, red blood cells are not oval, but disc-shaped. No one has anything like this! Why this device was needed is unknown.
Llama (Lama guanicoe) is a large herbivore. It feeds on grass and young leaves. Llamas can also live for long periods without water. They have thick, warm fur that protects them from the cold at high altitudes. Unlike camels, llamas' toes move independently of each other, which gives them greater stability on rocky slopes. Thanks to this, llamas are able to move at high speed even in the mountains.
There are 4 varieties of llamas: 2 domestic (llama and alpaca) and 2 wild (guanaco and vicuña). These animals can interbreed with each other. The llama, like the alpaca, appeared as a result of the domestication of the guanaco by the Incas already 6-7 thousand years ago.
Lamas have long been successfully bred in captivity for meat, wool, excellent milk, and as beasts of burden. With a load of 25-35 kg they can travel 20 km per day. They patiently endure any load, but, tired of walking with too heavy a burden, they lie down on the ground and resolutely refuse to move, and sometimes literally spit on their driver.
Alpaca is bred mainly for its silky and fine fleece up to 12 cm long, which is highly prized.
This beauty has one drawback: sometimes the llama spits. But this is not due to a lack of respect, in the same way the animal drives away its enemies from itself. Therefore, coming too close to even a domesticated llama, much less teasing it, is not recommended.
Llama and alpaca live 15-20 years. Body length 1.5-2 m, tail - 20-25 cm, height at withers - from 1.20 to 2.25 m, weight 130-155 kg. Color: brown or whitish, plain, piebald or spotted, but one of the most common colors is reddish brown with large white spots on the neck. The wool is rough.
Usually llamas live in a harem. Males live with 4-10 females and their babies. However, sometimes there are herds of lonely males or females who have left their harem. The age of puberty occurs between 9 and 18 months. Mating can take place throughout the year. Pregnancy lasts 1 year, every 2 years the female gives birth to only one baby (less often 2), which is called “cria”. The weight of the cub at birth is 8-16 kg.
Lama, like a camel, makes specific cries. They spit to establish hierarchical relationships in the group and to call the most restless and irritable relatives to order.
The number of llamas is dwindling compared to the number of alpacas, which are farmed for their fur. There are now 3.7 million lamas, of which 70% live in Bolivia.
Recently, llamas have also been bred in North America: it has turned out that they are excellent shepherds, capable of protecting flocks of sheep from attacks by coyotes.
Vignon llama is a type of wild llama. It is found only in one place - in the Andes. Vigoni love to live at high altitude. Their body length reaches 190 cm, height - 110 cm, and weight - 50 kg. The coat is thick, reddish in color. On the chest, it is longer and forms a shirt-front. The male gathers around him a harem of 10 - 15 females. Those males who do not yet have females live together, the composition of their herd is constantly changing.
At the end of spring - beginning of summer, the Vigones go into rut. Then, for 11 months, females bear 1-2 cubs. There were times when the Vigones grazed in large herds in the Andes. The Inca Indians periodically set special traps for them.
Those caught in them were shorn and released back to their herd. Clothes made from Vigon wool could not be worn by ordinary Incas. This honor belonged only to the leaders and priests. Currently, such catching is not carried out due to the extremely small number of vigones in the wild. They are trying to breed them in captivity, but they are very demanding of living conditions, unlike other llamas that take root well in captivity. In total, about 6 thousand individuals of Vigoni have survived in the world.
Vigone wool is highly prized. It produces magnificent soft woolen fabrics that are more valuable than cashmere. The Vigonian population is currently quite small. This species needs protection, and therefore is listed in the International Red Book.
A close relative of the llama, also living in South America, is the vicuña, but it has not yet been tamed. Vicuna, the smallest and most graceful llama, lives only in the Andes at high altitudes. Vicuñas are valued for their thick and soft fur, so these animals are in danger of extinction due to excessive hunting.
Guanaco - a wild llama - lives not only in the mountains, but also in steppes and semi-deserts. The ancient Incas domesticated wild llamas. Until now, residents of South America use domestic llamas, and they use camels in the deserts of Asia and Africa.
Guanaco is the largest herbivore in Patagonia. It is not as picky in choosing plant food as the vicuña, and eats almost any vegetation. It obtains the moisture necessary for life from food. During the mating season, fierce fights occur between male guanacos. They bite each other's necks and fight with their front legs. The winner of the fight collects a harem, sometimes consisting of hundreds of females. Young guanacos are easily tamed and, when crossed with other types of llamas, produce healthy offspring.
Lama guanaco is the prey of the largest predator of these places - the Patagonian puma. Other predators also come to Patagonia in search of food - the jaguarundi wild cat, which is smaller in size than the puma, as well as representatives of the canine family - the coyote and the Patagonian gray fox.
Niramin - Apr 29th, 2016
The llama lives in South America in the high Andes, preferring open spaces allowing you to quickly escape from predators.
Despite the fact that the llama is the closest relative of the camel, it looks quite peculiar and differs in many ways from this inhabitant of hot deserts. Characteristic feature The animal's characteristic feature is the absence of humps on its back. In addition, the llama is smaller in size and can have different coat colors, ranging from white to black-brown. The graceful animal most likely resembles a deer, but unlike it does not have antlers. The llama has a long neck, and on its small head there are erect, pointed ears.
These herd animals feed on plant foods: grass, leaves and branches of trees and shrubs, as well as hay. Llamas kept in captivity happily eat apples, grains, carrots and everything that is given to goats.
Indians have long domesticated llamas and used them as pack animals on difficult mountain trails. Llamas are easy to train, but are able to show character if they are given an unbearable burden of more than fifty kg. In this case, the llama can resist in every possible way: spit, hiss, kick, or simply lie down and not budge until it is freed from the excessive load.
For transportation of luggage, they mainly use guanaco llamas, and alpaca llamas are kept for the sake of their thick and soft wool, from which the Indians make warm and comfortable clothes. It is interesting that for a long time the Indians used only males for economic purposes. The purpose of females is only to care for offspring.
A baby born after an eleven-month pregnancy is able to stand firmly on his feet within an hour and a half. The mother does not lick him because her tongue is too short, but shows her tenderness by lightly touching her baby with her nose and softly snoring at the same time.
See photo of the llama:
Photo: Lama teeth.
Video: LAMA / Lama glama / Rochechouart en Limousin! BRUITX
Video: Funny Llama Attack!!
Video: AWESOME Llama spit compilation #1
LLAMA(Lama), a genus of humpless South American animals of the camelid family (Camelidae) of the artiodactyl order (Artiodactila). Despite the absence of a hump, llamas have many features in common with camels: canine-shaped incisors in the upper jaw, callused pads on the soles of cloven hooves (adaptation to rocky ground), amble and chewing characteristics of the cud, which the animal, if angry, spits.
Lama
(L.glama) the only native species in America used as pack animals. It is domesticated ca. 1000 BC Incas in what is now Peru.
The height of an adult male at the withers is 120 cm. The neck is long and thin, the head is relatively small, usually raised high, and the ears are high and pointed. Domestic llamas have soft, shaggy, medium-length fur; color varies from pure white to black-brown and piebald.
The ancestors of the lamas lived on the high plateaus in the Andes. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 2745 kg per day for a distance of approx. 24 km. If the pack is too heavy, the llama stops and sits down: no punishment will make her overstrain: she will simply spit in the face of an annoying driver with smelly chewing gum.
Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never milked or loaded. Mating season is in September. After a pregnancy lasting 10-11 months, one calf is usually born. His mother feeds him with milk for six weeks, and llamas reach sexual maturity at three years.
The Incas ate the meat of males, but only on special occasions, and females were never slaughtered. During religious festivals, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilyapa was piebald (to match the color of the stormy sky), and the sun god Inti was supposed to be white.
The oldest known ancestors of llamas and camels appeared approximately 40 million years ago in North America, from where they spread across the isthmuses to South America and Asia. By the end of the Pleistocene (about 1 million years ago), all North American camelids became extinct.
Alpaca
(L. pacos) a domestic animal bred by the Incas approximately 3,000 years ago as a source of wool. Nowadays, herds of alpacas of 100200 heads are kept mainly by Peruvian Indians on the high plateaus of the Andes. Externally, the animals resemble sheep. The fleece reaches a length of 60 cm; It produces a fabric highly valued throughout the world for its softness, insulating properties and durability.
Alpacas are slender, lightly built, with narrow pointed ears, a short shaggy tail, long legs and a long neck. Height at withers approx. 90 cm, color varies from piebald to yellowish-brown. Offspring are born in February March; newborns are covered with fur, sighted, and within a few minutes they rise to their feet and begin to suckle their mother.
Attempts to breed alpacas in other regions have not brought significant success. Although the meat of the animals is very tasty, they are not slaughtered because alpacas are too valuable a source of wool.
Guanaco
(L. gaunico) is very close to the llama and alpaca and may be their ancestor. Domesticated guanacos are used as pack animals on the plains of Pampa and Patagonia (Argentina), in the mountains of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, as well as on the islands near Cape Horn. Wild herds can still be found in the inaccessible highlands, but their numbers have declined greatly in historical times.
The height of the guanaco at the withers is approx. 120 cm. He has a long head with large protruding and pointed ears. The skin is shaggy, yellowish-brown, gradually becoming ash-gray on the neck and head. The animal is graceful, resembling a deer or antelope in proportions, but with a more elongated neck. Guanacos are excellent swimmers: they have been seen swimming from island to island in the Cape Horn area.
Mating season in August September; after a pregnancy lasting 11 months, a single cub is born. The mother feeds him with milk for 6 weeks, but allows him near the udder for the same amount of time, despite the fact that he begins to consume plant food.
Guanaco meat is highly prized by the Indians. Whole piles of bones of these animals have been discovered in Patagonia, possibly the remains of their mass slaughter by the aborigines or early Spanish settlers.
On ranches in the Andes, guanacos are bred for their fur, which is used to make clothing and jewelry. It resembles fox and is used both natural and dyed. Newborn animals are slaughtered for smushki (skins), from which beautiful capes are sewn.
Vicuna,
or vigon ( Lama vicugna), the smallest species of the genus. It lives in the Andes up to 5200 m above sea level; the original range extended from Ecuador to Bolivia and Chile. Nowadays these are mainly domestic animals, but in some places wild herds remain.
Vicuñas have the same body proportions as other llamas, and the height at the withers is less than 90 cm. The animals roam in herds of 1012 females with young animals, headed by a leader male. He is constantly on guard and often watches the surrounding area from a high peak, emitting a shrill whistle at the first sign of danger.
The beautiful reddish fur of vicunas is formed by very thin and soft hair and is better in quality than chinchilla fur. Fleece produces excellent wool fabrics. Uncontrolled fishing has led to the almost complete extermination of the species in large parts of its range, and these animals are now strictly protected by the Peruvian government.
The only large mammals domesticated by ancient South American peoples are llamas (lat. Lama glama) are the closest relatives of camels, although they cannot boast of having the family’s trademark, the hump.
Like llamas, they are intelligent and sociable animals that lead a herd lifestyle. They are quite harmless, but if you anger them, for example, by shouldering an unbearable burden, they will immediately show their independent character. A dissatisfied llama will hiss, spit, and push, but the most effective behavior in such cases is a lying strike.
Neither carrot nor stick can move a tired and irritated llama, and the only way out of this situation is to transfer part of the luggage to another animal.
Since ancient times, more than five thousand years ago, llamas have become indispensable assistants to the Indians of Central America in transporting heavy loads. Endurance and strong legs still help these strong pack animals navigate the narrow paths of mountain passes, carrying luggage weighing about fifty kilograms.
To acquire such valuable assistants, the Indians of Peru domesticated the guanacos who lived on the high plateaus of the Andes. Two thousand years earlier, the third representatives of the llama family, alpacas (lat. Vicugna pacos). However, they were (and still are) raised not for hard work, but for their beautiful, warm and durable wool. Llamas and alpacas are among the very first domesticated animals in human history.
Resistance to thirst and unpretentiousness in food have made llamas an important part of the life of South American peoples. However, despite the fact that the llama is capable of walking a distance of about thirty kilometers in a day, it does not have the strength of oxen, camels or horses, and therefore cannot be used to transport adults or heavy carts. And although its Inca owners invented the wheel, it is unlikely that at least one llama in its entire history has transported in a harness something heavier than an ordinary wheelbarrow.
Like sheep and cattle, llamas chew cud and can spit it in the face of the offender, as if to say: “Leave me alone!” However, this is quite rare, and in general llamas are wonderful companions for their owners. They are calm, friendly, easy to train, and even a child can handle them.
Female llamas, unlike males, enjoy special privileges - they do not have to carry burdens, they are not milked, they do not participate in other chores. Even in times when the Inca gods demanded sacrifices, females remained safe, and their main task was procreation.
A llama can give birth to its first cubs when it reaches one year. A female llama bears her offspring for eleven and a half months, and a baby born after such a long period will be able to stand on its feet within an hour and a half. The llama mother does not lick her baby because her tongue is too short and extends no more than one and a half centimeters from her mouth. Instead, the female gently rubs her nose against him and barely audibly snores, calming the baby.
Niramin - Apr 29th, 2016
The llama lives in South America in the high Andes, preferring open spaces that provide the opportunity to quickly escape from predators.
Despite the fact that the llama is the closest relative of the camel, it looks quite peculiar and differs in many ways from this inhabitant of hot deserts. A characteristic feature of the animal is the absence of humps on its back. In addition, the llama is smaller in size and can have different coat colors, ranging from white to black-brown. The graceful animal most likely resembles a deer, but unlike it does not have antlers. The llama has a long neck, and on its small head there are erect, pointed ears.
These herd animals feed on plant foods: grass, leaves and branches of trees and shrubs, as well as hay. Llamas kept in captivity happily eat apples, grains, carrots and everything that is given to goats.
Indians have long domesticated llamas and used them as pack animals on difficult mountain trails. Llamas are easy to train, but are able to show character if they are given an unbearable burden of more than fifty kg. In this case, the llama can resist in every possible way: spit, hiss, kick, or simply lie down and not budge until it is freed from the excessive load.
For transportation of luggage, they mainly use guanaco llamas, and alpaca llamas are kept for the sake of their thick and soft wool, from which the Indians make warm and comfortable clothes. It is interesting that for a long time the Indians used only males for economic purposes. The purpose of females is only to care for offspring.
A baby born after an eleven-month pregnancy is able to stand firmly on his feet within an hour and a half. The mother does not lick him because her tongue is too short, but shows her tenderness by lightly touching her baby with her nose and softly snoring at the same time.
See photo of the llama:
Photo: Lama teeth.
Video: LAMA / Lama glama / Rochechouart en Limousin! BRUITX
Video: Funny Llama Attack!!
Video: AWESOME Llama spit compilation #1
The Andes, the South American part of the Cordillera mountain system, stretch along the entire western coast of South America. The Andes stretch for 7,500 km from Colombia to Patagonia. The landscapes of these mountains are surprisingly diverse: rain forests on the eastern slope and desert on the western, wet meadows - paramo - above 2500 m and puna - semi-desert plateaus, located from 3800 to 4800 m above sea level. The Andes are a natural barrier between the coast and the interior of the mainland, separating plant and animal species. At the foot of the mountains in the equatorial belt lie hot and humid tropical forests. As the height increases, deciduous trees are replaced by conifers, which, in turn, give way to low-growing shrubs and forbs.
It is in these places, at an altitude of 3500 to 5500 m above sea level, that llamas, the South American relatives of camels, graze. This is a ruminant artiodactyl animal from the callosopod family. Llamas are also called humpless camels of America. They have no hooves, and their two-toed limbs have blunt, curved claws. When walking, they rely not on the ends of the fingers, but on their phalanges. The lower surface of the foot is formed by an elastic, callused cushion, from which these mammals get their name.
Llamas are much smaller in size than their Asian relatives. Big eyes with touching eyelashes, sensitive ears and unusually warm coat, long and protecting from piercing mountain winds.
Callous-footed animals feed exclusively on plant foods and have acquired a complex three-chambered stomach for better assimilation. After all, grass is not very high in calories, and camels in the desert have to eat only thorns. You can't lose a single gram of nutrients! A more complex structure of the stomach can be found only in artiodactyls.
In calluses, red blood cells are not oval, but disc-shaped. No one has anything like this! Why this device was needed is unknown.
Llama (Lama guanicoe) is a large herbivore. It feeds on grass and young leaves. Llamas can also live for long periods without water. They have thick, warm fur that protects them from the cold at high altitudes. Unlike camels, llamas' toes move independently of each other, which gives them greater stability on rocky slopes. Thanks to this, llamas are able to move at high speed even in the mountains.
There are 4 varieties of llamas: 2 domestic (llama and alpaca) and 2 wild (guanaco and vicuña). These animals can interbreed with each other. The llama, like the alpaca, appeared as a result of the domestication of the guanaco by the Incas already 6-7 thousand years ago.
Lamas have long been successfully bred in captivity for meat, wool, excellent milk, and as beasts of burden. With a load of 25-35 kg they can travel 20 km per day. They patiently endure any load, but, tired of walking with too heavy a burden, they lie down on the ground and resolutely refuse to move, and sometimes literally spit on their driver.
Alpaca is bred mainly for its silky and fine fleece up to 12 cm long, which is highly prized.
This beauty has one drawback: sometimes the llama spits. But this is not due to a lack of respect, in the same way the animal drives away its enemies from itself. Therefore, coming too close to even a domesticated llama, much less teasing it, is not recommended.
Llama and alpaca live 15-20 years. Body length 1.5-2 m, tail - 20-25 cm, height at withers - from 1.20 to 2.25 m, weight 130-155 kg. Color: brown or whitish, plain, piebald or spotted, but one of the most common colors is reddish brown with large white spots on the neck. The wool is rough.
Usually llamas live in a harem. Males live with 4-10 females and their babies. However, sometimes there are herds of lonely males or females who have left their harem. The age of puberty occurs between 9 and 18 months. Mating can take place throughout the year. Pregnancy lasts 1 year, every 2 years the female gives birth to only one baby (less often 2), which is called “cria”. The weight of the cub at birth is 8-16 kg.
Lama, like a camel, makes specific cries. They spit to establish hierarchical relationships in the group and to call the most restless and irritable relatives to order.
The number of llamas is dwindling compared to the number of alpacas, which are farmed for their fur. There are now 3.7 million lamas, of which 70% live in Bolivia.
Recently, llamas have also been bred in North America: it has turned out that they are excellent shepherds, capable of protecting flocks of sheep from attacks by coyotes.
Vignon llama is a type of wild llama. It is found only in one place - in the Andes. Vigoni love to live at high altitude. Their body length reaches 190 cm, height - 110 cm, and weight - 50 kg. The coat is thick, reddish in color. On the chest, it is longer and forms a shirt-front. The male gathers around him a harem of 10 - 15 females. Those males who do not yet have females live together, the composition of their herd is constantly changing.
At the end of spring - beginning of summer, the Vigones go into rut. Then, for 11 months, females bear 1-2 cubs. There were times when the Vigones grazed in large herds in the Andes. The Inca Indians periodically set special traps for them.
Those caught in them were shorn and released back to their herd. Clothes made from Vigon wool could not be worn by ordinary Incas. This honor belonged only to the leaders and priests. Currently, such catching is not carried out due to the extremely small number of vigones in the wild. They are trying to breed them in captivity, but they are very demanding of living conditions, unlike other llamas that take root well in captivity. In total, about 6 thousand individuals of Vigoni have survived in the world.
Vigone wool is highly prized. It produces magnificent soft woolen fabrics that are more valuable than cashmere. The Vigonian population is currently quite small. This species needs protection, and therefore is listed in the International Red Book.
A close relative of the llama, also living in South America, is the vicuña, but it has not yet been tamed. Vicuna, the smallest and most graceful llama, lives only in the Andes at high altitudes. Vicuñas are valued for their thick and soft fur, so these animals are in danger of extinction due to excessive hunting.
Guanaco - a wild llama - lives not only in the mountains, but also in steppes and semi-deserts. The ancient Incas domesticated wild llamas. Until now, residents of South America use domestic llamas, and they use camels in the deserts of Asia and Africa.
Guanaco is the largest herbivore in Patagonia. It is not as picky in choosing plant food as the vicuña, and eats almost any vegetation. It obtains the moisture necessary for life from food. During the mating season, fierce fights occur between male guanacos. They bite each other's necks and fight with their front legs. The winner of the fight collects a harem, sometimes consisting of hundreds of females. Young guanacos are easily tamed and, when crossed with other types of llamas, produce healthy offspring.
Lama guanaco is the prey of the largest predator of these places - the Patagonian puma. Other predators also come to Patagonia in search of food - the jaguarundi wild cat, which is smaller in size than the puma, as well as representatives of the canine family - the coyote and the Patagonian gray fox.
About 5 thousand years ago, in Peru, the Inca Indians tamed and domesticated the llama, a hardy and strong animal resembling a camel. The Incas were not familiar with the wheel, so they needed a beast of burden that could be used to transport heavy loads through the rugged mountain trails of the Andes. For transportation of goods, the Incas used only male llamas; females were exclusively engaged in procreation; they were not milked, did not eat their meat, and were not sacrificed.
The llama is a cloven-hoofed mammal, from the suborder Callosidae, belongs to the camelid family. In appearance, llamas really resemble camels, in the upper part of the jaw they have the same canine-like incisors, on the sole of their cloven hooves there are calloused pads, only llamas are smaller and they do not have a hump. Body length – 120-200 cm, tail – 20-25 cm, height at the withers – 120 cm, the animal weighs 75-80 kg. The neck is thin, the head is small, and the ears are high and pointed. Thanks to their fluttering eyelashes, the animals have a rather cute appearance. The wool is designed to protect them from the piercing mountain winds, so it is long, soft and very warm. The color of the coat is varied - from white to black-brown.
In South America there are 4 species of callosopods, of which domestic ones are llama and alpaca, and wild ones are guanaco and vicuna. The llama is used by humans mainly as a beast of burden, while the alpaca is valued for its long wool, which is used to make soft, warm clothes, blankets and rugs. All of them live in the highlands of the Andes in South America, at an altitude of about 3500 m, that is, they are found in the wild in Bolivia, Chile and Peru, but you can often see animals in zoos.
Llamas are herbivores; in summer they eat grass, young leaves, bushes and lichens, preferring lush vegetation, which contains large amounts of moisture, vitamins and minerals, and in winter llamas feed on hay and grain. Animals happily take carrots, apples, bread, broccoli and orange peels from people's hands.
Lamas have an interesting character; they are quite friendly, intelligent and curious. But at the same time, they are distinguished by their stubbornness; if the load with which they are loaded is too heavy for the animal (that is, more than 50 kg), then it will sit on the ground and will not go anywhere; neither the carrot nor the stick methods will help until the load is removed – the animal will not budge. And if a llama is teased, she can spit chewing gum in the offender’s face (chewing gum is undigested food that the animal chews, swallows, and then returns to its mouth). But if you treat a llama politely, then she can touch a person’s face with her nose, and it’s pleasant to stroke the animal, which is why there is even such a therapeutic psychological direction - “llamatherapy.”
At the same time, within the family, llamas have quite fierce competition among males. Mature llamas have quite strong teeth, 2 fangs on top and 4 below, with which they bite and tear the skins of their competitors during a fight. Because of their strong teeth, in South America they are used as guards against coyotes and other predators for flocks of sheep, which llamas, as social animals, consider their offspring.
Puberty of llamas occurs at 3 years. The breeding season lasts from August to February. The female's pregnancy lasts 11 months and, as a rule, one baby is born. A couple of hours after birth, he is ready to stand on his feet. Milk feeding lasts about 4 months. The lifespan of llamas is 20 years, and good conditions they can live up to 30.
The main enemy of llamas is the puma (mountain lion, cougar) - one of the most large predators South America, which sneaks up on prey from behind and suddenly jumps on its back, breaking its neck. Llamas are also hunted wild cats jaguarundis and Patagonian gray foxes.
Llamas are not an endangered species; they are actively bred in agriculture and zoos, but in the wild of Chile and Peru they are protected by the state and protected by law.
