Llama facts
Where llamas come from, how big they get, what they eat, how they communicate and why the Andes would not be the same without them. The essential facts about our favorite dramatic animal.
Quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lama glama |
| Family | Camelidae (camelids), with alpacas, guanacos, vicunas and camels |
| Wild ancestor | The guanaco |
| Domesticated | In the Andes of South America, thousands of years ago |
| Height | Roughly 1.7 to 1.8 m to the top of the head; about 1.1 to 1.2 m at the shoulder |
| Weight | Roughly 130 to 200 kg (about 280 to 450 lb) |
| Lifespan | Often around 15 to 25 years |
| Diet | Grasses, hay and other plants |
| Baby | Called a cria; usually one per pregnancy |
Andean origins
Llamas were domesticated from wild guanacos in the Andes, thousands of years ago. For people living high in the mountains, they were essential: they carried goods along mountain trails, provided wool, meat and leather, and their dung was used as fuel and fertilizer. In the Inca era, long llama caravans moved goods across the empire's road network.
Today, most llamas still live in South America, especially in Bolivia and Peru, but they are also kept on farms and ranches around the world.
Built for the mountains
- Padded feet: each foot has two toes with toenails and a soft pad, which grips rocky ground and is gentle on fragile soil.
- Efficient blood: like other camelids, llamas have adaptations that help them cope with thin, high-altitude air.
- A three-chambered stomach: llamas chew cud and digest tough plants efficiently.
- Warm fiber: their coat protects them from cold mountain nights.
Pack animals
Llamas are famous as pack animals. A healthy adult male can typically carry around a quarter of its body weight over long distances, often given as roughly 25 to 35 kg. If a load is too heavy, a llama may simply lie down and refuse to move until it is lightened, which might be the most llama thing ever.
How llamas communicate
- Humming: the most common sound; it can signal curiosity, contentment, worry or tiredness.
- Alarm call: a loud, braying call warning of danger, often given by guard llamas.
- Body language: ear position, tail position and posture show mood. Ears pinned back usually mean annoyance.
- Spitting: a last-resort warning, usually aimed at other llamas. See why llamas spit.
Social life
Llamas are herd animals and become stressed when kept alone. They establish a social hierarchy within the herd. Herds use communal dung piles, which makes cleaning pastures easier for farmers.
Llamas and people today
- Trekking: llamas carry gear for hikers in mountain and wilderness areas.
- Guarding livestock: some llamas protect sheep and goats from predators. See guard llamas.
- Fiber: llama wool is used for rugs, ropes and outerwear.
- Therapy and visits: calm, well-trained llamas visit care homes and schools in some places.
Llama or alpaca?
Llamas are often confused with their smaller cousins, alpacas. Llamas are larger, with long, banana-shaped ears and a longer face. See llamas vs alpacas.
A baby llama is called a cria, and it can usually stand and walk within about an hour of being born.
