Mammals · Artiodactyla · Camelidae

Llama

Lama glama

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

The llama is a South American camelid domesticated from the guanaco between four and five thousand years ago on the Andean altiplano. It was the only large pack animal of pre-Columbian America and sustained the road and warehouse system of the Inca empire. An adult male carries between 25 and 45 kilos over long days, although it will refuse to move if overloaded. It is adapted to altitude with a haemoglobin of high oxygen affinity and elliptical red blood cells, uncommon among mammals.

Weight

130 kg – 200 kg

Size

1.2 m – 2 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

MountainGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Mountain Grassland Mammal

7countries5same family

Fun facts

Its antibodies include a special, very small type known as a nanobody, used today in biomedical research and drug development because it reaches places conventional antibodies cannot.
It spits stomach contents, but almost always at other llamas and to settle disputes over rank or food; doing it to a person is a sign that the animal has been badly handled.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Andean altiplano and puna, between 2,300 and 4,500 metres in altitude
Sexual maturity: 2.2 years
Gestation / incubation: 10.8 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lama_glama