06.03.2020

Where does the llama live in what natural area. Lama guanaco - description of the animal, interesting facts, photos and videos. Lifestyle and social organization. Does the llama live in the savannah. Animal llama: where it lives, description, what it eats. Llama habitats Do llamas live

The llama is a mammal related to camels and alpacas, as they all belong to the same Camelid family. At the present time, these animals are indispensable in cattle breeding. Their wool is of incredible quality, which is why it is valued all over the world, and the llamas themselves are an excellent helper in carrying cargo. But not only this is valued in lamas.

Story

The ancestors of animals lived in North and South America millions of years ago. It is known that llamas were domesticated about four thousand years ago by South American Indians - the inhabitants of Peru. The ancestors were guanacos who lived (and still live) in the mountains of Peru called the Andes.

The Indians immediately noticed that these animals can make their life much easier: give good wool, meat, carry heavy loads. And in this way, already tamed to people, llamas for a long time before the appearance of horses in South America in the last millennium were the only helpers in the transportation of goods.

At the present time, llamas themselves and their ancestors, guanacos, who live in the wild to this day in South America, belong to llamas.

Description

Llama is a herbivore adapted to life high in the mountains. Reaches over height at the withers 120-130 centimeters, and by weight 70-80 kilograms. Thanks to the long neck, the height to the crown reaches up to two meters! The color is the most diverse: white, gray, dark, brown, golden, with or without spots. They live for about 20 years. Llamas also have an elongated thin neck, large eyes and pointed ears.

Unlike camels, our Andes dwellers differ in that they have missing hump. Also, unlike relatives, they usually found in cool places or mountains, because they have double hooves with toe pads adapted for movement in the mountains. But they, like camels, can start spitting if something is not to their liking.

This herd animals, so they need to be kept with at least two or three more individuals.

Females reach sexual maturity in the first year of life, and males in the third. The male has two, three or more females in the harem, which usually give birth to one cub after 11–12 months of pregnancy.

The descendants of the inhabitants of the Andes are also found in captivity in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. Due to their adaptability to life in the mountains, they have become widespread in the Alps (Europe). They are often found in lowlands in temperate latitudes.

Benefit

A little about alpaca

Why, in this article, we never mentioned alpacas as representatives of the llama genus? The fact is that alpacas have long been attributed to this genus, since they were believed to be descendants of guanacos. However, in 2001, they found out that their ancestor is actually the genus of vicuña. The reason for the long delusion was the resemblance, almost the same habitats, and the fact that alpacas and llamas can be crossed, and then cubs called huarisos are born.

LAMA(L. glama) is the only native species in America used as draft animals. He is domesticated ca. 1000 BC Incas in what is now Peru.

The ancestors of lamas lived on the high plateaus in the Andes. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 27–45 kg per day for a distance of approx. 24 km. If the pack is too heavy, the llama stops and sits down: no punishment will make her overstrain: she will simply spit in the face of an annoying driver with smelly chewing gum.

Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never milked or loaded. The mating season is in September. After a pregnancy lasting 10–11 months, one cub is usually born. His mother feeds him with milk for six weeks, and llamas reach sexual maturity at three years.

The meat of the male Incas was eaten, but only on special occasions, and the females were never slaughtered. During religious holidays, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilyape was piebald (the color of a stormy sky), and the god of the sun Inti was white.

ALPACA(L. pacos) is a domestic animal bred by the Incas about 3000 years ago as a source of wool. Now herds of alpacas of 100-200 heads are kept mainly by Peruvian Indians on the high plateaus of the Andes. Outwardly, the animals resemble sheep. The fleece reaches a length of 60 cm; it is used to produce a fabric highly valued throughout the world for its softness, thermal insulation properties and durability.

Alpacas are slender, lightly built, with narrow pointed ears, a short shaggy tail, long legs and long neck. Height at withers approx. 90 cm, color varies from piebald to yellowish-brown. Offspring are born in February - March; newborns are covered with hair, sighted, and in a few minutes they stand up and begin to suckle their mother.

Attempts to breed alpacas in other regions have not brought noticeable success. Although the meat of animals is very tasty, they are not slaughtered, since alpacas are too valuable a source of wool.

GUANACO(L. gaunico) is very close to the llama and alpaca and may be their ancestor. Domesticated guanacos are used as pack animals in the plains of Pampa and Patagonia (Argentina), in the mountains of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, as well as on the islands near Cape Horn. Wild herds are still found in the hard-to-reach highlands, but their population has been greatly reduced in historical time.

The height of the guanaco at the withers is approx. 120 cm. He has a long head with large protruding and pointed ears. The skin is shaggy, yellowish-brown, gradually becoming ash-gray on the neck and head. The animal is graceful, in proportion resembling a deer or antelope, but with a more elongated neck. Guanacos are excellent swimmers: they have been seen swimming from island to island in the Cape Horn area.

The mating season is in August - September; after 11 months of pregnancy, a single calf is born. The mother feeds him with milk for 6 weeks, but still allows the same amount of time to the udder, despite the fact that he begins to consume vegetable food.

Guanaco meat is highly valued by the Indians. Entire dumps of the bones of these animals have been found in Patagonia - possibly the remains of their mass slaughter by the natives or early Spanish settlers.

VICUNA, or vigon (Lama vicugna), is the smallest species of the genus. It lives in the Andes up to 5200 m above sea level; the original range extended from Ecuador to Bolivia and Chile. Now they are mostly domestic animals, but in some places wild herds also remain.

Vicuñas have the same body proportions as other llamas, and the height at the withers is less than 90 cm. Animals roam in herds of 10–12 females with young, led by a male leader. He is constantly on guard and often watches the surroundings from a high peak, emitting a high-pitched whistle at the first sign of danger.

Llamas are American "relatives" of camels, differing from relatives of the Old World in their smaller size and lack of humps. The genus of llamas includes 3 species, two of which were domesticated several thousand years ago - these are llamas (lat. Lama glama) and alpacas (lat. Lama pacos), and guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe) is still a wild species.

All types of llamas are found only in South America.

1 species - Lama (lat. Lama glama)

For the first time, these animals were domesticated by the Andean Indians and began to play an important role in the development of cattle breeding.

This is not the largest representative of the Lam genus from the camelid family. The body length of the animal varies from 120 to 200 centimeters, weight - 75-80 kilograms, and height at the withers - about 120 centimeters. On a thin neck is a small head with high pointed ears.

Lamas and camels have a lot common features, except for one - they do not have a hump. Just like llama camels, in case of irritation, they spit chewed gum at the offender.

Llamas are famous all over the world for their soft wool, although in quality it is still inferior to alpaca wool. The animal can be of various colors - from almost white to black-brown.

white llama

Only males are used for cargo transportation, while females are intended exclusively for breeding, and besides, they are never milked.

2nd view - Alpaca (lat. Vicugna pacos)

Alpacas are another kind of llamas. They were domesticated by the very first of the two species - about 6000 years ago by the Indians of Peru.

They are bred in the mountainous regions of South America (Andes) solely for their wool. Most alpacas live in Peru, although their range extends through Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Chile, and western Bolivia.

The current number of alpacas is about 3 million individuals.

They cut them once every 2 years, removing from each animal a little more than 1 kilogram of fine fine wool, for which they are so famous. Warm and soft blankets, clothes and blankets are made from it.

Alpacas are slightly smaller than llamas. Their height does not exceed 1 meter, and their weight is no more than 70 kilograms, and their wool is longer (15-20 centimeters) and softer than that of llamas.

There are 2 types of alpacas, which differ from each other only in appearance Wool is Suri and Huacaya. In the former, it is long and outwardly resembles pigtails, while in the latter it is softer. Their wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. In addition, it is not covered with sebum and things from it remain clean for a long time.

Like all representatives of the Lam genus, the alpaca is a herbivore, but, unlike llamas, they lack front teeth, so they are forced to pinch grass with their lips and use their side teeth when chewing.

And the last, third species - Guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe)

Its name comes from the Quechua language - wanaku.

Guanaco is a wild relative of camels, still preserved in the Andes (from southern Peru through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego) at an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level. A small population of these animals lives in Paraguay.

They run very well and can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h. Such speeds are necessary in order to save your life from various predators, for example, maned wolves, pumas or wild dogs.

Guanacos live in small herds of up to 20 animals. An adult male leads the herd, driving out all growing males older than 6-12 months from his harem. They start living alone or join male groups.

Gestation lasts 11 months, after which only one cub is born, very rarely two. The lactation period lasts 4 months.

Guanacos live for a long time - about 20 years, and in captivity even longer - about 30.

Locals hunt these animals for their valuable wool, skin and tasty meat, therefore, unlike llamas and alpacas, the number of guanacos is rapidly declining. But in some countries, such as Peru and Chile, these animals are under state protection.

The only large mammals, domesticated by ancient South American peoples, llamas (lat. lama glama) are the closest relatives of camels, although they cannot boast of having the trademark of the family - the hump.

Like llamas, they are intelligent and sociable animals that lead a herd lifestyle. They are quite harmless, but if they are annoyed, for example, by taking on an unbearable burden, they will immediately show their independent character. A disgruntled lama will hiss, spit, push, but the most effective behavior in such cases is a lying strike.

You can't budge a tired and irritated llama with a stick or a carrot, and the only way out of this situation is to transfer part of the luggage to another animal.
Since ancient times, more than five thousand years ago, llamas have become indispensable helpers of the Indians of Central America in the transportation of heavy loads. Endurance and strong legs still help these strong beasts of burden to pass through the narrow paths of mountain passes, carrying a load of about fifty kilograms.

To acquire such valuable helpers, the Indians of Peru domesticated the guanacos that lived on the high plateaus of the Andes. Two thousand years earlier, the third representatives of the genus of llamas, alpacas (lat. Vicugna pacos). However, they were grown (and still are) not for hard work, but for the sake of beautiful, warm and durable wool. Llamas and alpacas are among the earliest domesticated animals in human history.

Resistance to thirst and unpretentiousness in food made llamas an important part of the life of the South American peoples. However, despite the fact that the llama is able to cover a distance of about thirty kilometers in a day, it does not have the strength of oxen, camels or horses, and therefore cannot be used to transport adults or heavy carts. And although its owners, the Incas, invented the wheel, it is unlikely that at least one llama in history has transported something heavier than an ordinary wheelbarrow in a team.

Like sheep and big cattle, llamas chew gum and can spit it in the face of the offender, as if saying: “Leave me alone!”. However, this happens quite rarely, and in general llamas are excellent companions for their owners. They are calm, friendly, easy to train, and even a child can handle them.

Female llamas, unlike males, enjoy special privileges - they do not have to carry burdens, they are not milked, they do not participate in other chores. Even at a time when the Inca gods demanded sacrifices, the females remained safe, and their main task was to procreate.

The llama is able to give birth to the first cubs, having reached one year. The female llama bears her offspring for eleven and a half months, and a cub born after such a long period will be able to stand on its feet in an hour and a half. Lama mom does not lick her baby, because her tongue is too short and protrudes from her mouth by no more than one and a half centimeters. Instead, the female gently rubs her nose against him and barely audibly sniffs, calming the baby.

LAMAS(Lama), a genus of humpless South American animals of the camelid family (Camelidae) of the artiodactyl order (Artiodactila). Despite the absence of a hump, llamas have many features in common with camels: canine-shaped incisors in the upper jaw, callused pads on the soles of cloven hooves (adaptation to rocky ground), amble and chewing characteristics of the cud, which the animal, if angry, spits.

Lama

(L.glama) the only native species in America used as pack animals. He is domesticated ca. 1000 BC Incas in what is now Peru.

The height of an adult male at the withers is 120 cm. The neck is long and thin, the head is relatively small, usually raised high, and the ears are high and pointed. Domestic llamas have soft, shaggy hair of medium length; the suit varies from pure white to black-brown and piebald.

The ancestors of lamas lived on the high plateaus in the Andes. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 2745 kg per day for a distance of approx. 24 km. If the pack is too heavy, the llama stops and sits down: no punishment will make her overstrain: she will simply spit in the face of an annoying driver with smelly chewing gum.

Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never milked or loaded. The mating season is in September. After a gestation lasting 10-11 months, one calf is usually born. His mother feeds him with milk for six weeks, and llamas reach sexual maturity at three years.

The meat of the male Incas was eaten, but only on special occasions, and the females were never slaughtered. During religious holidays, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilyape piebald (under the color of a stormy sky), and the god of the sun Inti white.

The oldest known ancestors of llamas and camels appeared about 40 million years ago in North America, from where they spread along the isthmuses to South America and Asia. By the end of the Pleistocene (about 1 million years ago), all North American camelids had become extinct.

Alpaca

(L. pacos) domestic animal bred by the Incas about 3000 years ago as a source of wool. Now herds of alpacas of 100200 heads are kept mainly by Peruvian Indians on the high plateaus of the Andes. Outwardly, the animals resemble sheep. The fleece reaches a length of 60 cm; it is used to produce a fabric highly valued throughout the world for its softness, thermal insulation properties and durability.

Alpacas are slender, lightly built, with narrow, pointed ears, a short, bushy tail, long legs, and a long neck. Height at withers approx. 90 cm, color varies from piebald to yellowish-brown. Offspring are born in February March; newborns are covered with wool, sighted, and after a few minutes they stand up and begin to suckle their mother.

Attempts to breed alpacas in other regions have not brought noticeable success. Although the meat of the animals is very tasty, they are not slaughtered because alpacas are too valuable a source of wool.

Guanaco

(L. gaunico) is very close to the llama and alpaca and may be their ancestor. Domesticated guanacos are used as beasts of burden on the plains of Pampa and Patagonia (Argentina), in the mountains of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, as well as on the islands near Cape Horn. Wild herds are still found in the hard-to-reach highlands, but their population has been greatly reduced in historical time.

Mating season in August September; after 11 months of pregnancy, a single calf is born. The mother feeds him with milk for 6 weeks, but still allows the same amount of time to the udder, despite the fact that he begins to consume vegetable food.

Guanaco meat is highly valued by the Indians. Entire dumps of the bones of these animals have been found in Patagonia, possibly the remains of their mass slaughter by the natives or early Spanish settlers.

On ranches in the Andes, guanacos are bred for their fur, which is used to make clothes and jewelry. It resembles a fox and is used both in in kind, and colored. Newborn animals are slaughtered for hides (skins), from which beautiful capes are sewn.

Vicuna,

or vine ( Lama vicugna), the smallest species of the genus. It lives in the Andes up to 5200 m above sea level; the original range extended from Ecuador to Bolivia and Chile. Now they are mostly domestic animals, but in some places wild herds also remain.

Vicuñas have the same body proportions as other llamas, and the height at the withers is less than 90 cm. Animals roam in herds of 1012 females with young, led by a male leader. He is constantly on guard and often watches the surroundings from a high peak, emitting a high-pitched whistle at the first sign of danger.

The beautiful reddish fur of vicuñas is formed by very thin and soft hair and is better than chinchilla in quality. Fleece is used to make excellent woolen fabrics. Uncontrolled fishing has led to the almost complete extermination of the species in a large part of its range, and now these animals are strictly protected by the Peruvian government.

Hello dear readers!

Today you will visit the 14th Dalai Lama, the head of all Tibetan Buddhists. Where the Dalai Lama lives, under what circumstances he got there, who accompanied him and what interesting sights there are near this place - we will consider all this in our article.

Government of Tibet

The residence of the Dalai Lamas used to be in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, in the Potala Palace. The latter is called the pearl on the roof of the world, as it is located at an altitude of about 3800 meters above sea level, on Red Mountain.

All the Dalai Lamas, and their14 , were and are an emanation of Avaloketishvara, who is compassion and is consciously born in this world to help its other inhabitants get out of the circle of samsara. Such people are called "tulkus".

Birth of a new tulku

The last of them, Lhamo Dhondrub, was born to a peasant woman in 1935. After he was recognized as a reincarnated tulku, he was given a new name: Ngagwang Lovzang Tenjin Gyamtsho.

Lhamo Dhondrub, future leader of Tibet as a child

February 1940 - the time of endowing it state power and he was only five years old. And in 1950, the inhabitants of China began to rule in Tibet. The rulers of the Celestial Empire considered Tibet to be Chinese territory.

But the Tibetans wanted to live an independent life like before. Therefore, they offered Tenjin Gyamtsho to rule the country. And at the age of fifteen he becomes the religious and civil head of his Motherland.

The Dalai Lama at age 15

For nine years, the Tibetans tried to coexist peacefully with the invaders, but an anti-Chinese uprising was inevitably brewing.

Escape

When it flared up and was brutally suppressed by the invaders, they had to leave Tibet in March 1959 and seek political shelter in neighboring India. Thousands of his adherents left with him.

Now his place of residence is considered Indian state Himachal Pradesh. Dharamsala is also home to the Tibetan government in exile, which since 2002 he no longer heads, but remains one of the most significant figures in the political arena of the world. In 2011, he also renounced secular power, which passed to the Prime Minister.

The 14th Dalai Lama announced his retirement from the political arena

Ordinary monk

Tenjin Gyamtsho considers himself a simple monk. His life is dedicated to the prosperity and protection of the freedom of his people by non-violent methods. His daily routine is usually like this:

getting up in the morning, at 4;
meditation;
reading prayers;
reception of visitors;
business meetings;
religious rituals;
Training activities;
evening prayer.

The 14th Dalai Lama receives Thai monks at his residence

Travel is a big part of this amazing person- he visited fifty countries, so you will not often meet him in the Indian residence. Tenjin Gyamtsho wrote many philosophical treatises, articles, autobiographical works. Many of his statements have become winged.

Like any person, the Dalai Lama has his own hobbies, such as gardening. He also likes to tinker with watch repairs, in his youth he repaired the spotlight on his own, without having any technical documents for it in his hands. He believes that if he did not happen to become a monk, he would definitely become an engineer.

His Holiness is also interested in modern trends in science, especially neurophysiology, which deals with brain problems, is close to him. He is inclined to believe that Buddhism and science should work together in the search for truth, and agrees to make changes to the Buddhist teaching if science proves that some of his provisions are erroneous.

Life in dedication to his people

The city where the Buddhist leader now lives has the unofficial name of "Little Lhasa". Since the Buddhist religion in the homeland of the Teacher was banned with the arrival of the Chinese, almost all monasteries were destroyed, and with them treasures and literature, he makes titanic efforts to preserve the spiritual monuments of the homeland and help his compatriots survive.

For the refugees who followed him, settlements were organized in Nepal and India, the main emphasis in them was on agricultural labor. Created an educational system. Children, although they lived in exile, know their native language perfectly, are well versed in national history, cultural heritage and religion.

Dalai Lama's birthday, Dharamsala

More than 200 temples have been recreated and now store religious works related to the national direction of Buddhist teaching, which is the basis of the Tibetan way of life. Refugees from the Land of Snows currently have their own university - the Central Institute of Higher Tibetology. They also organized the Tibetan Institute of Dramatic Arts.

noburlinka

An institution with this name was formed in Dharamsala at the end of the 20th century to preserve the Tibetan cultural heritage, including the language. The historical Noburlinka was founded in the Tibetan capital by the seventh Dalai Lama back in the 18th century. The main building of the Indian Institute resembles the Lhasa Noburlinka, which served as the summer representation of the Dalai Lamas.

Noburlinka, Dharamsala

The complex includes:

Academy of Tibetan Culture;
Arts Center;
library;
cultural and literary research center;
hotel;
a sanctuary made in the traditions of Japan;
Foundation for the Protection of Crafts and Traditional Arts;
the premises of craftsmen, where traditional souvenirs are made from metal, wood, inlaid and others.

Neighborhood of Dharamsala

The town itself is small, it is surrounded by wooded mountains with many paths. There are many coniferous forests wild monkeys. Nearby is the Triund camp. This is the starting point for climbing the Indri Pass, behind which is the city of Manali.

Triund camp near Dharamsala

When good weather, direct access to the surrounding places is faster than using public transport by the ring road. However, this period is rather short, since even in May there is still ice near the paths, and snow on the pass.

Near the city there is Gyuto, a Tibetan monastery. It houses the residence of the 17th Karmapa. The title of Karmapa is the third most important in the hierarchy of Tibetan teachings. The first and second places are occupied by the Panchen Lama and the Dalai Lama.

The 17th Karmapa also left Tibet. Another half a thousand monks live in the monastery, studying the basics of Buddhist philosophy and tantra.

Conclusion

Dalai Lama XIV, honored Nobel Prize of the world, the smartest and kindest person that stand out in the circle of politicians of the present time. It is quite fair if such outstanding personality will continue to incarnate in its successors. He expresses this desire in his address:

As long as space lasts, as long as the living live, may I remain in the world of suffering to dispel darkness.

On this, friends, we say goodbye to you today.

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Lama is a mammal from the camelid family that has been domesticated for a long time. They have served humans for over 6,000 years and were tamed by the Andean Indians.

Before horses were introduced to South America, the llama was the only animal used to carry goods.

These animals are best adapted to life in the highlands and therefore in last years llamas are used as pack animals not only in the Andes of South America, but also in the European Alps.

Description, features and lifestyle of a llama

There is probably no person in Russia who has not seen a camel. It does not matter that they are rare in Russia. They can be seen in any zoo, and in the south of our country and with your own eyes. But few people know that camels have a relative who lives in South America and call this relative Lama. True, these American "relatives" are different from their hunchbacked relatives. After all, the lama does not live in a hot desert, but high in the Andes mountains in South America. She does not have humps on her back, and she is smaller in size, but outwardly they look much prettier.

This is a rather slender animal that looks somewhat reminiscent of a deer, but with a longer neck and no horns. Height at the withers from 1 to 1.3 meters. But thanks to the long neck, the head is at a height of about 2 meters. The head is small with erect pointed ears. The length sometimes reaches 2 meters and can weigh up to 200 kg. The color of llamas is very diverse from white to black-brown.

An adult male llama can carry a pack of up to 50 kg, walking more than 25 kilometers a day along mountain trails. When the Spaniards ruled South America, llamas were used to work in mines, but then horses and donkeys were brought there and the whole burden of these works was transferred to them, and later to mules. But even now the llama in the mountains is the only beast of burden that the locals use.

According to scientific research, it is known that the llama is a very ancient animal. More than forty million years ago, llamas lived on the plains of North America, but about three million years ago they migrated to South America. The genus of llamas has two more varieties. This is an alpaca - an animal somewhat smaller and slightly different in appearance. The height of an alpaca is on average about 1 meter, and the weight is up to 70 kilograms. But the alpaca's wool is longer and softer. They live mainly in Peru, Ecuador, Northern Chile and Western Bolivia, where they are bred solely for their wool. Now their number is about 3 million individuals.

There is another still wild species of these animals - guanacos, small herds of which can be found in the Andes at an altitude of about 4000 meters.

The name "Guanaco" comes from "wanaku", as the Quechua Indians called these animals. Guanaco is ideally adapted for life in these conditions. Their unpretentiousness in food and resistance to thirst allow them to freely exist in these far from ideal conditions. Thick wool serves them as an excellent protection from the cold and piercing winds. And strong leg muscles allow you to run at incredible speeds, over 50 km / h. Guanacos live in herds, in which one male, one and a half, two dozen females and young. Guanacos live mainly on open areas, so that it would be easier to flee from the most dangerous predator for them - cougars, as well as from snow leopard and a maned wolf. Guanacos are about the same size as llamas. Length 120 - 180 cm, height up to 130 cm. Weight up to 140 kg. Guanacos eat plant foods. The lifespan of a guanaco natural environment habitation, about 20 years, in captivity they can live up to 30 years.

For many years, wild guanacos were hunted for good warm fur and this threatened their complete extinction. But now a number of laws have been passed in South American countries aimed at protecting these animals, and their population has begun to increase. Moreover, a large number of them are kept in special nurseries, where they are provided with food and protected from predators.

Llamas are not an endangered species, they are bred and actively used in agriculture. Lama wool is used to make beautiful blankets, and the meat is used as food. Dressed skins and skins of llamas are used to make clothes, candles are made from fat.

Llamas eat almost everything: grass, hay, leaves and branches. And when they are kept in captivity, they are fed with other food: grain, oats, carrots, apples and everything that ponies and goats eat. Thanks to the special structure of the stomach, which consists of 3 compartments, the body of llamas can digest anything.

Llamas are still used by many residents of South American countries. In the villages there is rarely a house where there is no this unpretentious animal.

Due to the fact that llamas are very easy to train, they are used with pleasure to participate in various performances. Despite their outward clumsiness, llamas sometimes show miracles of training.

An interesting fact is that the ancient Incas had a certain deity - the guardian of the shepherds "Urcuchillay". He was depicted as a multicolored lama. The same images of the llama can be found in the ceramics of the culture of the Moche Indians, this is about a hundredth year BC.

And yet, it is very interesting that any llama will not carry a weight of more than 50 kg, regardless of its size and strength. He seems to have a built-in biological scale in his body. It can carry a child or an adult, but not heavier than these 50 kilograms.

The llama (Lama glama) belongs to the camelid family, suborder callus, order artiodactyls.

Lama spread.

Llamas are found along the Andes mountains. They are sold in North America, Europe and Australia. Exceptionally small herds are found in their homeland in Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Altiplano, in southeastern Peru and western Bolivia in the high Andes, is the origin of llamas.

Llama habitat.

Llamas live on low plateaus covered with various shrubs, stunted trees and grasses. They survive in the Altiplano region, where the climate is quite temperate, while the southern regions are dry, desolate and harsh. Llamas are known to spread at an altitude of no more than 4000 meters above sea level.

External signs of a lama.

Llamas, like other members of the camelid family, have long necks, long limbs, rounded muzzles with protruding lower incisors, and a forked upper lip. They do not have humps, compared to camels that live in Asia. Lamas are largest view this group of animals. They have long, shaggy coats that vary greatly in color. The main shade is reddish-brown, diluted with variegated white and yellowish blotches.

Llamas are quite large mammals, having a height at the withers of 1.21 meters. The body length is about 1.2 m. The weight varies from 130 to 154 kilograms. Llamas do not have a real hoof, although they belong to artiodactyls, they have two three-toed limbs with dense leathery rugs on each foot along the sole. This is an important adaptation for movement on rocky ground.

Llama's toes are able to move independently, a feature that helps them climb mountains at high speed. These animals have an unusually high proportion of oval red blood cells (erythrocytes) in their blood, hence increased rate the presence of hemoglobin, which ensure survival in an oxygen-poor high-altitude environment. Like other members of camelids, llamas have distinctive teeth, adult llamas have developed upper incisors and lower incisors are of normal length. The stomach consists of 3 chambers, when chewing food, chewing gum is formed.

Llama breeding.

Llamas are polygamous animals. The male collects a harem of 5-6 females in a certain area, then aggressively drives away all other males that accidentally enter the selected area. Young males expelled from the harem form herds while still young to breed, but they soon form harems of their own as they reach maturity.

Old males and expelled young individuals live independently.

Lamas are able to form fertile offspring when crossed with other members of the genus. They mate in late summer or early autumn. After mating, the female llama carries offspring for about 360 days and gives birth to one cub almost every year. A newborn is able to follow his mother about an hour after his birth. He weighs about 10 kg and gradually gains weight over four months when the female feeds him with milk. At the age of two years, young llamas give birth.

Basically, the female llama takes care of the offspring, provides protection and care for the cub up to one year. The male llama shows only indirect participation, he defends the territory in order to provide food for his herd, consisting of females and young individuals. Males constantly compete with other males for the same food resources and guard the harem from predators and other males. When the young llamas are about one year old, the male drives them away. Domesticated llamas can live for over 20 years, but most live for around 15 years.

lama behavior.

Lamas are flocking and social animals that live in groups of up to 20 individuals. The group includes about 6 females and offspring of the current year.

The male leads the herd and aggressively defends his position by participating in a dominant fight.

A strong male pounces on a competitor and tries to knock him to the ground, biting the limbs and wrapping his own long neck around the opponent's neck. The defeated male lies on the ground, which symbolizes his complete defeat, he lies on the ground with his neck down and his tail up. Lamas are known to use common communal "toilets", which are arranged on the borders of the occupied site, these peculiar marks serve as a territorial demarcation. Like other camelid llamas, they make low roaring sounds when predators appear to warn other members of the herd of danger. Llamas are quite skillful in defending themselves from attack, they kick, bite and spit on those animals that threaten them. The behavior of llamas in captivity resembles the habits of wild relatives, even in captivity, males defend their territory, even if it is fenced. They take sheep into their family group and protect them like little llamas. Because of their aggression and patronage towards other animals, llamas are used as guardians for sheep, goats and horses.

Llama (Lama glama) in the Belgorod Zoo

Llama food.

Llamas feed on low shrubs, lichens and mountain vegetation. They eat the evergreen shrub parastethia, shrub baccharis, plants of the cereal family: munroa, bonfire, field grass. Llamas tend to live in very dry climates and get most of their moisture from their food. They need about 2 to 3 liters of water per day, grass and hay consumed 1.8% of their body weight. Llamas are ruminants. As pets, they are well adapted to the same food as sheep and goats.

lama after haircut

Significance for a person.

Llamas are domesticated animals, so they have an important economic importance. Thick, coarse, but warm llama wool is a valuable material.

These animals are sheared every two years, collecting about 3 kg of wool from each llama.

For local residents, felting wool products is a source of income. Farmers use llamas to protect their flocks of sheep from predators. They include several llamas in a herd of sheep or goats, which the llamas guard against attacks by coyotes and cougars. Llamas are also used as golfers, attracting a lot of spectators for these competitions. There are special farms for breeding llamas. In the last century, llamas were used to transport goods across the Andes, they are very hardy and are able to carry a weight of over 60 kg for almost thirty kilometers in high altitude conditions. Local residents still use this type of transport in the mountains.

Conservation status of the llama.

Llamas are not an endangered species and are now quite widespread. There are about 3 million individuals worldwide, about 70% of llamas are in Bolivia.

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Lama

(L.glama) the only native species in America used as pack animals. He is domesticated ca. 1000 BC Incas in what is now Peru.

The ancestors of lamas lived on the high plateaus in the Andes. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 2745 kg per day for a distance of approx. 24 km. If the pack is too heavy, the llama stops and sits down: no punishment will make her overstrain: she will simply spit in the face of an annoying driver with smelly chewing gum.

The meat of the male Incas was eaten, but only on special occasions, and the females were never slaughtered. During religious holidays, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilyape piebald (under the color of a stormy sky), and the god of the sun Inti white.

Alpaca

Guanaco

On ranches in the Andes, guanacos are bred for their fur, which is used to make clothes and jewelry. It resembles a fox and is used both in its natural form and dyed. Newborn animals are slaughtered for hides (skins), from which beautiful capes are sewn.

Vicuna,

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Just as in Eurasia and Africa, man tamed and began to use as pack animals, the ancient Indian tribes living in South America domesticated the mammals and herbivores that lived on this continent. guanaco(lat. lama guanicoe, camelid family).

Domesticated guanacos, known to us as llamas(lat. lama glama), began to serve man more than 4 thousand years ago. The excellent adaptability of these animals to the conditions of a semi-desert high-mountain climate, their ability to go without water for a long time, to overcome long distances along steep and rocky mountain paths with additional cargo, the ability to run fast (they can reach speeds of more than 55 km / h) were used by the Indians to turn llamas in animals intended for the carriage of luggage. The Incas were no less attracted by the opportunity to obtain valuable fur, wool, skins and meat from these animals. As a result, one of the most interesting livestock industries based on llama breeding has appeared in South America.

Lamas are very similar to camels, but differ from them in smaller sizes (their height reaches 1.8 m, and average weight rarely exceeds 200 kg) and the absence of humps. With their gracefulness, they are more reminiscent of deer. The average life expectancy of llamas is 20-30 years. They are very smart, but just as stubborn. Superbly developed sense of smell, sharp hearing and excellent eyesight help llamas to get away from danger in time. Shepherds use this ability to attract lamas to protect herds of smaller animals (sheep, goats). In the event of an alien intrusion into the territory where the herd grazes, llamas emit a loud frightening roar, reminiscent of a donkey. In other cases, these animals do not make noise, only sometimes they can purr softly, experiencing positive emotions.

Even today, llamas are the only way to transport goods to the hard-to-reach mountainous regions of the Andes. Male llamas are excellent at this task, capable of carrying up to 50 kg over distances of 25 km or more. Their endurance is explained by evolutionary adaptation to sudden temperature changes in their natural habitat (foothills of the Andes; high mountains, up to 5000 m, plateaus, tropical steppes; semi-deserts), where the pre-dawn air cools to 0 ° C, and at noon it heats up to + 38 ° C As food, llamas use herbaceous vegetation, leaves and branches of shrubs, young growth of trees, especially ferns. The need for food in these animals is minimal compared to other closely related representatives of the fauna: an adult llama consumes no more than 3 kg of hay per day. In addition, they are very picky about food. In the absence of the usual food, llamas can eat vegetables, root crops, fruits, as well as moss and lichen. At home, the favorite delicacy of animals are carrots, cabbage, apples, bread. Also, domestic llamas need constant access to fresh water.

Another amazing property llamas - their cleanliness. The excrement of these animals is always collected in one place, at a distance from fields, paths, grazing places (feeders). This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas thus masked their location from dangerous predators. Among the local population, mainly Bolivians and Peruvians, dried llama litter is an excellent fuel.

Female llamas are not used in the work. And although their milk is very thick and fatty, it is barely enough to feed the cub (kria). Lamas bear their offspring for a little less than a year (11.5 months). Usually they have one baby, and only in exceptional cases - two. Already an hour and a half after birth, the cub stands confidently on its legs.

In addition to unpretentiousness, economy, strength, endurance, llamas also have certain character traits. They are characterized by devotion, curiosity, obedience and peacefulness towards those who are friendly to them. In the event of conflict situations, llamas are able to show irritability and even aggression, expressing their dissatisfaction, like camels, by spitting out the contents of their stomach at the enemy (most often a relative in the herd).

Having first come to Europe (the beginning of the 16th century), llamas fascinated the inhabitants with their appearance: a funny muzzle with big eyes, pubescent with long eyelashes, graceful movements, soft hair. Conditions temperate climate, a sufficient amount of food contributed to the breeding of these animals on the European continent. At first, llamas were kept as companion animals, then they began to be used to obtain valuable fur and wool. The delicious dietary llama meat was not left without attention. This product, obtained from young llamas (under the age of 1.5 years), is in particular demand.

In some European countries, llamas are also involved in the tourism business. Thus, routes have been developed (mainly in the Alps of Italy), where travelers are accompanied by specially trained lamas. In addition, children and adults enjoy riding llamas (it is only important that the weight of the rider does not exceed 50 kg). Llamas are very easy to train, so circus artists willingly include them in their program and use them in original tricks.

Today, llamas can be seen on special cattle farms not only in America and Europe, but even in Australia. Lamb breeding has become so popular that pet owners have formed their own association. They hold meetings, conferences where they communicate and exchange experiences. In addition, even the magazine Life of Lamas is published.

It is best to breed animals in their usual climatic conditions. It is known that llamas easily endure severe cold, rainy weather, but heatwave and the desert climate is unfavorable for them. Llama are absolutely undemanding to the conditions of keeping, they can be at any time of the year for a long time. fresh air, including spending the night outdoors. But still it is better to have a special unheated room or a reliable shelter for them. Thick and long coat protects animals from winter frosts. In addition, they are highly resistant to traditional diseases of pets.

Since llamas are adapted to life in a herd, it is recommended to keep several of these individuals, or at least a couple. It is also practiced to “settle” lone llamas with other farm animals. Since llamas feed on pasture, keeping them in a warm climate requires practically no costs. In temperate latitudes, llamas are fed in winter with hay, plant debris and vegetables.

The main business item in breeding llamas is obtaining valuable skins, warm thick fur, and wool. Lamas are sheared in the spring, immediately after the molt, so that their hair has time to grow enough by the cold weather. A rich palette of animal colors (about 35 shades) allows you to get wool of a wide variety of colors, avoiding the use of any dyes. And thanks to the natural purity of the coat (unlike sheep, llama wool does not contain lanolin), you just need to cut and comb the strands well. And although alpaca wool is superior to llama wool in softness, this does not reduce the cost of the latter in any way.

The domesticated descendant of the wild humpless camel of South America is the guanaco.

Systematics

Russian name - lama
English title- Lama
Latin name - Lama glama
Detachment - artiodactyls (Artiodactyla)
Suborder - corn-footed (Tylopoda)
Family - camelids (Camelidae)
Conservation status of the species - Domestic animal.

Appearance

Since the llama traces its pedigree from the guanaco, then it is most similar to this animal. The same graceful, proportions resembling more of a deer than a camel. Slightly more massive and larger than the wild ancestor: the height at the withers is on average 120 cm, the height to the crown is 180 cm. But the coat color can be very diverse - from pure white to dark brown, both plain and piebald. The wool is very thick, long, as it should be for a resident of the harsh highlands. The head held high on a long neck gives this beast a slightly “arrogant” expression, which is emphasized by large eyes framed by thick eyelashes. Males are somewhat larger than females.

View and person

The domestication of the guanaco took place about 5,000 years ago, and the llama is one of the earliest domesticated animals in human history. In the harsh climate of the mountains, the llama has become an indispensable assistant, primarily as a beast of burden. Wonderful warm clothes were made from wool and skins, the meat of the males of the Incas was eaten, but only on special occasions, and the females were never slaughtered. The Incas even had a certain deity "Urcuchillay" (guardian of the shepherds), who was depicted as a multi-colored llama. Also, the image of a llama is found on the ceramics of the Moche culture (existed in the northern part of Peru from about a hundredth year BC). During religious holidays, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilhape - piebald (under the color of a stormy sky), and the god of the sun Inti - white.

At the time of the Spaniards, llamas were used to transport ore from the mines, but then horses and mules pushed them out in this field. However, high in the mountains they have no equal. Superbly adapted to life in the highlands, llamas are much better able to cope with the lack of oxygen in the thin air. They easily go with a load and where modern cars are not able to pass.

Only males are loaded, which are larger and stronger than females. However, they can also carry a not very large load - about 50 kg. If the weight of the luggage exceeds the capabilities of the animal, it begins to get angry - presses its ears, kicks, spits saliva mixed with the contents of the stomach. But the most effective in such cases is a recumbent strike. The irritated lama lies down, and it is impossible to budge her by any means - she will get up only when the luggage is reduced. They even joke that scales are built into each llama. During the day, a loaded llama can travel up to 30 km, but they are not harnessed to carts, this is the fate of horses, donkeys and mules. In ancient times, only occasionally the earth was plowed on llamas.

Females are in a privileged position - they are not forced to carry weights, they are not milked, they do not participate in other chores. Even at a time when the Inca gods demanded sacrifices, the females remained safe, and their main task was to procreate. The llama is able to give birth to the first cub, barely reaching two years, and then can give birth annually. Keeping llamas is practically worthless: animals all year round live in high mountain pastures, and are sheared every two years. Haircuts are made between November and April, so by the season low temperatures, falling on June-August, the coat has time to recover. Mostly felted products are made from llama wool, and thanks to the many color variations of wool, products do not even have to be dyed.

In the 19th century, llamas were brought to Europe, and in the Alps they successfully perform the same functions as in their native Andes.

At present, the need for llamas, as pack animals, has significantly decreased, primarily due to the development of cars and air transport. The demand for wool, which is significantly inferior in quality to alpaca wool, has also decreased. All this has led to the fact that the number of llamas has noticeably decreased, their main population is concentrated around Lake Titicaca, where they mainly serve tourists.

Keeping animals in the Moscow Zoo

The llama can be seen in the Old Territory of the Zoo in the first enclosure to the right of the Main Entrance. Our llama, an adult white female, is the largest animal in the enclosure. She appeared at the zoo in 2009 at the age of one year, having arrived to us from Germany. Now the company of humpless camels of South America, consists of llama, guanaco and vicuña. Animals get along well in one enclosure, since their expressive poses, facial expressions and body movements are similar, they perfectly understand each other. These animals in captivity can mate and give offspring, so in the zoo their company is purely female.

These animals are fed twice a day. Hay and lick salt are constantly in the feeders, branches are hung in the aviary in the morning, and in the afternoon they give oats and “vinaigrette” - a mixture of chopped vegetables: beets, carrots, potatoes.

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Domain: Eukaryotes

Kingdom: Animals

Type: Chordates

Class: Mammals

Detachment: Artiodactyls

Family: Camelids

Genus: Lamas

Story

At present, llamas themselves and their ancestors, guanacos, who live in the wild to this day in South America, belong to llamas.

Where does the lama live?

Llamas are found over a wide area along the Andes. Small herds are found in Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. The homeland of these animals is the Altiplano - a place in the southeast of Peru, as well as the west of Bolivia in the high Andes.

Llamas are animals that live on low plateaus that cover thickets of shrubs, stunted trees and grasses. They live quite comfortably in the Altiplano region, in temperate climatic conditions, and these animals avoid the southern dry and desert regions. The llama does not live in the savannah. These areas do not provide them with enough food.

Description

Llama is a herbivore adapted to life high in the mountains. It reaches 120–130 centimeters in height at the withers, and 70–80 kilograms in weight. Thanks to the long neck, the height to the crown reaches up to two meters! The color is the most diverse: white, gray, dark, brown, golden, with or without spots. They live for about 20 years. Llamas also have an elongated thin neck, large eyes and pointed ears.

Unlike camels, our Andes dwellers are distinguished by the fact that they do not have a hump. Also, unlike relatives, they are usually found in cool places or mountains, because they have double hooves adapted for movement in the mountains with pads of fingers. But they, like camels, can start spitting if something is not to their liking.

These are herd animals, so they need to be kept with at least two or three more individuals.

Kinds

The genus of llamas includes 3 species, two of which were domesticated several thousand years ago - these are llamas (lat. Lama glama) and alpacas (lat. Lama pacos), and guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe) is still a wild species. All types of llamas are found only in South America.

1 species - Lama (lat. Lama glama)

For the first time, these animals were domesticated by the Andean Indians and began to play an important role in the development of cattle breeding.

Prior to the introduction of horses and sheep into South America, the llama was the only large domestic animal used to carry heavy loads. A three-year-old male llama is able to carry a pack weighing up to 50 kilograms (this is with its own weight of no more than 75 kilograms) and travel a distance of 25 kilometers with it in a day. In mountainous regions at an altitude of over 2700 meters, llamas are still widely used as pack transport. This is not the largest representative of the Lam genus from the camelid family. The body length of the animal varies from 120 to 200 centimeters, weight - 75-80 kilograms, and height at the withers - about 120 centimeters. On a thin neck is a small head with high pointed ears.

Llamas and camels have a lot in common, except for one thing - they do not have a hump. Just like llama camels, in case of irritation, they spit chewed gum at the offender. Llamas are famous all over the world for their soft wool, although in quality it is still inferior to alpaca wool. The animal can be of various colors - from almost white to black-brown.

Only males are used for cargo transportation, while females are intended exclusively for breeding, and besides, they are never milked.

2nd view - Alpaca (lat. Vicugna pacos)

Alpacas are another kind of llamas. They were domesticated by the very first of the two species - about 6000 years ago by the Indians of Peru.

The current number of alpacas is about 3 million individuals. They cut them once every 2 years, removing from each animal a little more than 1 kilogram of fine fine wool, for which they are so famous. Warm and soft blankets, clothes and blankets are made from it. Alpacas are slightly smaller than llamas. Their height does not exceed 1 meter, and their weight is no more than 70 kilograms, and their wool is longer (15-20 centimeters) and softer than that of llamas.

There are 2 types of alpacas, which differ from each other only in the appearance of wool - these are Suri (Suri) and Huacaya (Huacaya). In the former, it is long and outwardly resembles pigtails, while in the latter it is softer. Their wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. In addition, it is not covered with sebum and things from it remain clean for a long time.

And the last, third species - Guanaco (lat. Lama guanicoe)

Its name comes from the Quechua language - wanaku. Guanaco is a wild relative of camels, still preserved in the Andes (from southern Peru through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego) at an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level. A small population of these animals lives in Paraguay.

They run very well and can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h. Such speeds are necessary in order to save their lives from various predators, such as maned wolves, cougars or wild dogs.

Guanacos live in small herds of up to 20 animals. An adult male leads the herd, driving out all growing males older than 6-12 months from his harem. They start living alone or join male groups.

The breeding season begins in August and lasts until February. For the possession of a female, males have to endure a fight with another applicant. It is somewhat reminiscent of the camels fighting during the rutting season, when they rise to their hind legs and begin to bite each other, as well as beat with their front legs. The whole "hand-to-hand combat" is accompanied by spitting of the contents of the stomach. Gestation lasts 11 months, after which only one cub is born, very rarely two. The lactation period lasts 4 months. Guanacos live for a long time - about 20 years, and in captivity even longer - about 30.

Locals hunt these animals for their valuable wool, skin and delicious meat, so, unlike llamas and alpacas, the number of guanacos is rapidly declining. But in some countries, such as Peru and Chile, these animals are under state protection.

Lifestyle and behavior

Like camels, llamas are intelligent and sociable animals that lead a herd life. They are quite harmless, but if they are annoyed, for example, by taking on an unbearable burden, they will immediately show their independent character. A disgruntled lama will hiss, spit, push, but the most effective behavior in such cases is a lying strike.

To acquire such valuable helpers, the Indians of Peru domesticated the guanacos that lived on the high plateaus of the Andes. Two thousand years earlier, the third representatives of the genus of llamas, alpacas, also became domestic. However, they were grown (and still are) not for hard work, but for the sake of beautiful, warm and durable wool. Llamas and alpacas are among the earliest domesticated animals in human history.

Like sheep and cattle, llamas chew the cud and can spit it in the face of the offender, as if to say: “Leave me alone!”. However, this happens quite rarely, and in general llamas are excellent companions for their owners. They are calm, friendly, easy to train, and even a child can handle them.

Nutrition

As food, llamas use herbaceous vegetation, leaves and branches of shrubs, young growth of trees, especially ferns. The need for food in these animals is minimal compared to other closely related representatives of the fauna: an adult llama consumes no more than 3 kg of hay per day. In addition, they are very picky about food. In the absence of the usual food, llamas can eat vegetables, root crops, fruits, as well as moss and lichen. At home, the favorite delicacy of animals are carrots, cabbage, apples, bread. Also, domestic llamas need constant access to fresh water.

Llama breeding

Significance for a person

Llama is a pack animal that is capable of carrying loads in excess of its own weight. These animals are indispensable in the mountains, where they are used for transportation, which is very helpful. local residents. With heavy bales, they cover tens of kilometers a day.

In addition to transporting goods, for people who keep llamas, this animal is valuable in many aspects: they are sheared and wool is used to make clothes. Rough, thick and unusually warm llama wool is a very valuable material. Lamas are sheared every two years, receiving about three kilograms of wool from one animal. For the local population, felting wool products is a significant source of income.

On farms, llamas are used to protect herds of sheep from predators. Several llamas introduce sheep or goats into the herd and the llamas guard them, preventing the attack of cougars and coyotes. Llama meat (only males) is used for food: it is a dietary product. The most delicious is the meat of animals no older than one year - it is very tender and juicy.

Lamas are native to Peru (South America).
Llamas were domesticated by the Andean Indians around 1000 BC.
Llamas spit when angered.
Llamas belong to the camelid family, but unlike the camel, they do not have a hump, but otherwise they are similar.
Male llamas are used as transport animals for transporting heavy loads across mountain ranges along trails that are inaccessible to transport (27-45 kg of cargo is transported per day for a distance of about 24 km). If the weight exceeds 50 kg, the llama simply stops and sits down, and if the driver forces her to rise, the llama will simply spit in his face.
Female llamas are never milked or used as a vehicle, they are used only for breeding.
Another amazing property of llamas is their cleanliness. The excrement of these animals is always collected in one place, at a distance from fields, paths, grazing places (feeders). This is explained by the fact that in the wild, llamas thus masked their location from dangerous predators. Among the local population, mainly Bolivians and Peruvians, dried llama litter is an excellent fuel.

The Quechua Indians called this animal the wanaku. Hence its name - guanaco. Guanacos have long played a significant role in the life of the local population. This is evidenced by the fact that in Argentina there is a city of Guanaco.

Lama guanaco lives in South America. In the old days, these one-humped camels inhabited almost the entire continent, since they are quite satisfied with the living conditions both at sea level and high in the mountains, in the steppes and savannahs, in bushes and in forests. Now, the habitat of these animals has been reduced to the territory of the Andes and the mountainous regions of western Paraguay due to pastures taken from guanacos and poachers, destroying hundreds of these animals every year. Delicious meat, valuable fur and guanaco skin attract hunters and poachers. Therefore, to restore the number of guanacos, these animals are taken under state protection in Chile and Peru.

Recently, they have been bred on the ranch for their lush fur. Usually shy guanacos, in places where they are cared for, become quite curious and can come very close to a person.

The diet of guanacos is very simple: grass, leaves, twigs of trees and shrubs. Like the familiar camels, the guanaco llama can go long periods without water. However, if water is available, use it regularly. Interestingly, the guanaco can even drink slightly salty water.

Guanacos are cautious animals. When the whole group is grazing, one of the animals is on the alert, and when danger approaches, it makes a loud sound - an alarm signal. And the herd flees, developing a speed of about 50 km / h.

Guanacos live in groups of two species. One group is a "harem" with one adult male and several females with cubs. As soon as the young males become sexually mature, the adult male drives them away, and the males form a male company, in which, over time, old males unsuitable for procreation may also appear.

From August to February there are battles between males for the favor of the ladies. These battles are accompanied by bites, spitting and “hand-to-hand combat”, when the fighting males stand on their hind limbs, and “treat” each other with cuffs with their forelimbs.

When the passions subside, after eleven months the female usually has one cub, which the mother nurses with milk for about four months.

All lamas have one feature. They defecate in a certain place, arranging a kind of toilets. The Indians have long noticed this feature of the guanaco and use the dung of these animals as fuel, collecting it in the same place.

The life expectancy of a guanaco in natural conditions is 20 years, and in captivity it can reach 30 years.

Video: guanako in HD

The llama (Lama glama) belongs to the camelid family, suborder callus, order artiodactyls.