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What animal family do llamas belong to? -

Llamas, along with alpacas and all of their closest relatives, are part of the camelid family of animals, making them close cousins of the camel.

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The Latin name -

Llamas are known around the world for being cute, quirky, and full of attitude, but who would have guessed their scientific name would be just as fun to say as they are to look at? The Latin name for llama is Lama glama.

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Where did llamas originate? -

While no one could be blamed for thinking that camels and all of their relatives were native to Eurasia or North Africa, the entire camelid family is, in fact, native to North America. While many of these ancient camels stayed put, some crossed the Bering Strait land bridge around seven million years ago into Asia, destined to eventually develop into the modern camels found in Asia and North Africa. Others moved south around three million years ago, and developed into the Lama genus, which includes llamas, alpacas, and others.

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Ice age extinction -

It's good news that some llamas went south when they did, because during Earth's most recent ice age, which occurred around 12,000 years ago, every camelid species in North America was completely wiped out.

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The first domesticated llamas -

Llamas are one of the oldest work and livestock animals in the Americas, first domesticated by pre-Inca societies in Peru at least 4,000 years ago. Since then, they have been utilized for their wool, as pack animals, and occasionally for their meat.

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Standing tall -

Llamas might be bigger than you'd expect, and that's in no small part thanks to their elongated necks. Llamas can grow up to six feet (182 cm) tall, and their necks usually make up about 1/3 of that height.

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Great pack animals -

Historically, llamas have been most utilized as pack animals, especially in the South American highlands where moving with the seasons was once a necessity. Llamas can carry 25-30% of their body weight without issue.

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Respectful of their own boundaries -

That being said, llamas are very good at telling you when they're overloaded or tired. They have no problem with sitting right down on the ground and not budging until their load is lightened to their satisfaction.

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The wonders of llama wool -

Llama shearing is a practice even older than their supposed date of domestication. Llama wool has been used by Andean societies for more than 6,000 years for textiles and protection against harsh winters.

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Trusty llama yarn -

Llama wool, and the yarn that is spun from it, is an incredibly useful material. Not only is it lightweight and great for insulation, it's also efficiently water-repellent.

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Good on their feet -

Llamas are well-acclimated for mountain life. They're resilient, well-equipped animals who can stand up to any type of weather, and are great on their feet, making it a breeze to traverse rocky, treacherous mountain terrain through wind, rain, or snow.

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Cute and smart -

Llamas aren't just a pretty face, either. Studies have shown that llamas are a good deal smarter than most farm and pack animals, including horses. In fact, they're closer to dogs than other domesticated animals when it comes to intelligence.

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Guard llamas -

Maybe it's the brains, or maybe it's something else, but llamas have also proven to make excellent guard animals. They're known for their bravery against predators and seem to have a natural inclination for protecting, and require almost no training to make great bodyguards for other livestock.

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Not big biters -

Despite having some pretty menacing-looking front teeth, llamas don't use them for much more than chewing and breaking apart food. Whether fighting amongst themselves or against predators, their weapon of choice is a good, old-fashioned kick.

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Spitting, on the other hand... -

But, of course, llamas also get annoyed with each other and, equally as often, with humans. While annoyance doesn't necessitate a bite, it can definitely prompt a spitting fight. Llamas are famous for spitting in the faces of people who encroach on their personal space. Spitting as a sign of annoyance and disrespect is apparently one thing llama culture and human culture have in common!

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Llamas in conversation -

Despite all of their funny faces and wide-opening jaws, llamas don't make too much noise. Instead, they communicate with each other using a low, deep humming sound.

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What do llamas eat? -

Llamas use those long necks and big teeth to pluck off prime vegetation from the branches of trees, and don't subsist on very much else. Llamas are strict vegetarians.

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The three-compartment stomach -

Llamas have a three-compartment stomach that ensures they get absolutely every bit of nutrients they can out of their meals. Similar to cows, the llama's digestive process includes regurgitating their food back into their mouths for a second good chew before sending it back down the hatch.

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Polite poopers -

Perhaps to make up for their nasty spitting habit, llamas are famously inoffensive defecators. Their excrement has virtually no smell to it, which has been good news for their keepers, who would burn their dung, affectionately nicknamed "llama beans," for heat and fuel. Llama beans also make for excellent fertilizer.

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How long do llamas live for? -

While llamas have been documented living to the ripe old age of 30 in some cases, the average llama, whether in captivity or in the wild, lives anywhere from 15 to 25 years.

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What do you call a baby llama? -

Deriving from a Spanish word for baby, adorable llama children are called crias. When they're born, they can weigh up to 35 lbs (16 kg).

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The many llama looks -

Llamas' coats can come in all different colors and patterns. Some are just one solid color, ranging from white to black and numerous shades of brown and red between. Others can be spotted, or even two-toned.

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Happy in groups, and growing -

Llamas are incredibly social herd animals and love being together. Llamas kept as pets must be kept in groups, otherwise they'll become very lonely. Thankfully, loneliness isn't an issue for most llamas, and their number continue to grow; there are over seven million llamas in South America alone, and a few hundred thousand more in North America.

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Llamas vs. alpacas -

Llamas and alpacas are closely related and can be easily confused, but there are some key differences. For starters, llamas are much bigger than alpacas, and llamas have much larger, rounded off ears, in stark contrast to the short and pointy ears characteristic of alpacas.

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Other close relatives -

Besides alpacas, there are two other species in the Lama genus: the guanaco (pictured) and the slightly smaller vicuña. Both of these species only exist in the wild and have never been domesticated.

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Llamas: the future of flu protection? -

Llamas, surprisingly, are at the heart of a quest for a new and improved flu vaccine. Scientists have been experimenting with a number of different antibodies found in llamas that seem to be a catch-all defense against every known strain of the flu virus.

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Therapy llamas -

While llamas are known to sometimes have a bad temper, they are undeniably soft and cuddly to the touch and a joy to look at. Llamas can be trained as therapy animals, and make visits to children's hospitals and old folks' homes all across North America.

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Laid-back livestock -

Llamas are some of the most low-maintenance, easy-going farm animals out there, who really just want a couple friends to hang out with. They're also incredibly efficient when it comes to land use. Two acres, the same amount of grazing space needed to sustain one cow, can comfortably feed eight llamas.

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Heavenly llamas -

For as useful and important as llamas were in ancient South American societies, it seems only natural that they would have their own space in native spiritual beliefs. In the Aymara culture, a great heavenly llama is said to drink from the world's oceans and urinate onto the Earth in the form of rain. In Incan culture, herders worshipped Urcuchillay, a god who took the form of a llama and protected the people's livestock.

Sources: (ThoughtCo.) (Treehugger)

See also: Fall in love with South America's breathtaking landscapes

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