Llama

This page is about a South American type of Camel. For the religious teacher of Eastern religions, see Lama.

A Llama (Lama glama) is a mammal of the Camelidae family. It is from South America, the Andes Mountains of Peru and Ecuador.

Llama
Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Camelidae
Genus:	Lama
Species:	L. glama
Binomial name
Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)

Sometimes the name llama is used for all four South American camelids.

Llama and humans

The llama was domesticated about 5000 years ago. It was and is used for carrying things, and for wool. The llama was very important for the Incan people. Even today, llamas are used for similar reasons, but will more commonly be used as domesticated pets.

Related animals

The llama's close relative is the alpaca, who is a more demure, petite animal in comparison to the llama. Llamas have three related cousins - the alpaca, the guanaco, and the vicuña. The llama is the national symbol of Bolivia.

Llamas spit, and travel together. Llamas also have a high content of hemoglobin which causes their blood cells to be oval and not circular.

Llama Media

• 

  A traditionally dressed Quechua girl with a llama in Cusco, Peru

• 

  Image of a domestic llama

• 

  Llama skeleton. Lama glama.*Specimen of llama skeleton prepared by the bone maceration technique and on display at the Museum of Veterinary Anatomy, FMVZ USP.

• 

  Dam and her cria at Laguna Colorada, Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa, Bolivia

• 

  Picture of a black Llama.

• 

  A pack llama in the Rocky Mountain National Park

• 

  Llama guarding sheep on the South Downs in West Sussex

• 

  Handspun llama yarn from Patagonia

Other websites

Data related to Lama glama at Wikispecies