LLAMA Lama glama
Redlist status: Least concern
Llama are a South American member of the camel family, Camelidae (order Artiodactyla), closely related to the alpaca, guanaco, and vicuña, which are known collectively as lamoids. Depending on the source this group is considered separate species or races of the Lama Glama. The llama and alpaca are domesticated animals not known to live in a wild state.
Llama are the largest of the lamoids averaging 1.2 meters at the shoulder but can be as large as 1.8 meters and weigh 130-250 kilograms. Llama live 15-25 years but a 30th birthday is not uncommon!
Llama’s are very gentle with a high thirst tolerance, good endurance and can subsist by eating a variety of plant forage.
Llama have traditionally been used as pack animals, the fleece spun into wool and the dung dried for fuel.
A large llama can carry about 25-30% of their body weight and walk 25-30 kms per day.
In their natural southern hemisphere, llama breed in late summer and fall (November to May). Gestation is approximately 11 months and females give birth to only one young at a time. Baby llama are known as a cria and generally weigh 9-14 kg at birth.
Llamas are typically solid brown or black in color although if they are white it will be with black or brown markings.
Llamas are normally sheared every one to two years and yield about 3-.5 kg of fiber. Llama fleece consists of the coarse “guard hairs” of the outer coat (20%) and the short crimped wavy fiber of the insulating undercoat. Cleaning reduces the yield of fleece to 66-84% of original weight. The hair is 8-25 cm long with the coarse hairs being the longest. The diameter ranges from 10-150 micrometers. The undercoat is typically 10-20 micrometers.