Fact Of The Day
Don't stand too close if you make a llama angry or irritated, they can spit at distances of over 15 feet!
The llama (/ˈlɑːmə/; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈʎama]) (Lama Glama) is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era.
Llamas are social animals and live with others as a herd. Their wool is soft and contains only a small amount of lanolin. Llamas can learn simple tasks after a few repetitions. When using a pack, they can carry about 25 to 30% of their body weight for 8 to 13 km (5–8 miles). The name llama (in the past also spelled "lama" or "glama") was adopted by European settlers from native Peruvians.
The ancestors of llamas are thought to have originated from the Great Plains of North America about 40 million years ago and subsequently migrated to South America about three million years ago during the Great American Interchange. By the end of the last ice age (10,000–12,000 years ago), camelids were extinct in North America.
Let’s take a look at some likable llama facts and see what we can come up with!
Llamas Facts
1. Llamas can spit distances of more than 15 feet (4.5 m)!
With that in mind, I definitely won’t be annoying any llamas anytime soon!
While llamas don’t always spit, it’s a clear sign that they are annoyed at something or someone.
Don’t worry though, you can usually tell pretty easily when a llama is getting a bit peeved.
Some of their body language they keep for communication with other llamas – they’ve been known to stick their tongues out at other llamas that are the source of their annoyance.
It’s only if their message isn’t understood that they start spitting!
You can even tell how annoyed a llama is just by its spit. The more agitated the llama is, the more undigested stomach gunk it mixes in with its spit.
2. Llama poop has a special place in the history of the Andes.
Some say that if it weren’t for llama poop, Andean cultures wouldn’t have thrived in the way they did.
Life in the Andes is cold and harsh over winter, and in many places, it would have been hard to eke out an existence if not for llamas.
As it has almost no odor it’s a fantastic source of fuel for fires, as well as being great fertilizer.
In fact, llama poop is so useful that it’s colloquially called llama beans by llama farmers!
3. Llamas are much more friendly than alpacas.
Don’t get me wrong, I love alpacas too! Their furry little faces are so adorable I just want to hug them all. That being said, you probably shouldn’t!
While llamas are much more sociable animals, alpacas tend to dislike close contact with people and stay away from herds.
Llamas are so different in character from alpacas that they’re compared more to dogs!
If you were to compare alpacas to another animal, it would be more to something like a sheep. They just couldn’t care less!
4. Llamas were in the US long before humans were.
Well, not exactly llamas, but very, very close relatives to them.
These pre-historic llamas were called Hemiauchenia, and it was from this species that all modern llama-like animals such as llamas and alpacas are descended.
The Hemiauchenia were much larger than their modern descendants though, growing taller than your average human male!
These giant beasts roamed across the southern regions of the modern-day US for millennia before going extinct sometime around 25,000 years ago.
5. Llamas speak to each other by humming.
Llamas are very social animals, so it makes sense that they need a way to communicate other than sticking their tongues out in disgust or spitting.
One of the ways they communicate is to hum to each other in a range of tones, all with seemingly different meanings.
Mother llamas will hum to their babies so that they learn to recognize them.
Other times that they hum are when they’re stressed, bored, sleepy, or just interested in something.
There’s also another sound that male llamas make called ogling, but that’s specifically for when they’re mating, and it sounds anything but pleasant!
6. Llamas are actually from the same family as camels.
Llamas and camels both come from the Camelidae family, making them distant cousins.
An interesting twist to the Camelidae family is that neither camels, llamas, nor any of their relatives still live in the region they originated from.
Camelids originally evolved in the North Americas, and it wasn’t until around 2 or 3 million years ago that the family split apart and went to the regions they’re now found today.
7. Herds of llamas have constantly shifted social structures.
Llamas have their very own form of the pecking order in which males are constantly jostling for higher positions.
Higher-ranked llamas will quite commonly spit at lower-ranked llamas to show their power over them, which if you ask me is just a little bit nasty!
The main way in which llamas can do anything about their social status is by picking fights with each other, and they’re quite a show!
When two llamas get into a fight there’s generally a lot of spitting, and kicking, and they even wrestle each other with their necks.
Females don’t usually have anything to do with this though, and just spit at other llamas to try and control them.
8. Llamas do not live in the wild.
I know this is completely contrary to all those photos you’ve seen of desolate mountain landscapes with picturesque lamas.
The reality is that llamas are domesticated animals.
While they can be found in the wild, they are no longer wild animals – they’re pack animals.
The people of the Andes long ago tamed llamas and used them to carry goods for them. They may not be the biggest of the strongest pack animal, but I’d like to see a water buffalo try and cross the Andes!
For distances up to 20 miles (32 km) they can carry up to 75 pounds (34 kg) but will generally lie down and spit at you if you try to push them any more than that.
9. Forget about guard dogs, now you can have a guard llama!
Since the 1980’s llamas have found themselves in quite a different role to that of a pack animal.
Sheep and alpaca farmers in the US discovered that llamas were great guard animals, as long as you only have one per herd of sheep.
This is because a single llama is more likely to bond to the herd and protect them, whereas if there’s another llama they’ll just bond to them and ignore the other animals.
They’re generally used in areas that have large predators like feral dogs or coyotes, like the western parts of the US.
10. That being said, llamas are native to South America.
The llama that we know and love today is undeniably a South American animal.
More specifically, they come from a region of Peru and Bolivia in the Andes, where the Inca Empire reigned.
While their ancestors came across Panama millions of years ago, they quickly evolved into the much smaller (and cuter) animals we know today.
11. Llamas have found another more soothing job, too.
Another very different role that llamas have taken on is that of a therapy animal, which has worked surprisingly well.
In parts of the US, you can find therapy llamas working in nursing homes and schools where they comfort the residents and patients.
It goes without saying that these llamas have to be trained very well, especially to make sure they don’t start spitting and making people’s days worse, not better!
Llamas Trivia Questions And Answers
Are Llamas good pets?
Ans: Llamas are first and foremost pets and companions. Llamas are becoming increasingly popular pets due to their mild manners, cleanliness, and friendly dispositions. Llamas are generally healthy, thriving animals that require little maintenance beyond good basic care.
Are llamas dangerous?
Ans: Although Baby Doll's motives appear to have been pure and she's likely wracked with guilt in her little llama brain, llamas really can be dangerous, especially large males.
Are llamas smelly?
Ans: People who keep llamas as pets will readily offer you any number of reasons: llamas are quiet, they're gentle and affectionate, they don't take a lot of work to maintain, and, for outdoor animals, they don't smell bad. That irresistible quality may explain their popularity as pets.
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