Sol with Rosie,one day old! ............................Rosie at five months,growing fast!

Apparently the llama owns its name to the Spanish phrase ¿Cómo se llama? When the Spanish discovered America they asked the indigenous people for the name of this animal using the phrase ¿Cómo se llama? What do you call this? The indigenous people didn't understand and repeated the last word llama, llama. So the Spanish finally thought the animal's name is llama. Or so I've been told. Nice story anyway. Editorial note: Very nice, but not quite accurate. In fact the expression llama was there before the Spanish arrived. It's of Quechuan origin and was borrowed by many languages, together with other Quechuan words such as condor or puma. 

Guest getting a good close picture of Rambo!

The llama (Lama glama) is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat.

The height of a full-grown, full-size llama is between 5.5 feet (1.6 meters) to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall at the top of the head. They can weigh between approximately 280 pounds (127 kilograms) and 450 pounds (204 kilograms). At birth, a baby llama (called a "cria") can weigh between 20 pounds (9 kilograms) to 30 pounds (14 kilograms). Llamas are very social animals and like to live with other llamas as a herd. Overall, the fiber produced by a llama is very soft and is naturally lanolin free. Very intelligent, llamas learn simple tasks after a few repetitions. When using a pack, llamas can carry about 25%–30% of their body weight for several miles.

Sir Francis Drake first spotted the"Sheepe of Peru" in 1578 describing it :' the sheepe of the countrey were most memorable. Their height and length was equall to a pretty cow, and their strength fully answerable, if not by much exceeding their size or stature. Upon one of their backes did fit at one time three well grown and tall men, and one boy, no mans foot touching the ground by a large foot in length, the beast nothing at all complaining of his burthen in the meane time. These sheep have neckes like camels; their heads bearing a resonable resemblance of another sheepe. The Spaniards use them to great profit. Their wooll is exceeding fine, their flesh good meate, their increase ordinarie, and besides they supply the roome of horses for burthen or travell: yea they serve to carry, over the mountaines, marvellous loades, for 300 leagues together, where no other carriage can be made but by them onely.

LLAMAS ... Physical Facts

* Life span....about 15 - 25 years *

Height.....40 - 45" at the shoulder, 5'5" - 6’ at the head. *

Weight.....avg. range - 280 to 450 lbs. * Gestation.....350 days(average) *

Birth.....A single baby "cria" is normally delivered standing mother during the daylight. Twins are rare. *

Babies.....Birth weights average 20-30 pounds. Crias are normally up and nursing within 90 minutes. They are weaned at about 6 months. *

Reproduction.....Females are first bred at 18 to 24 months of age. Llamas do not have a heat cycle, but are induced ovulators (ovulation occurs 24-36hours after breeding). Thus they can be bred at any time during the year. *

Color.....Hair ranges from white to black, with shades of beige, brown,red and roan in between. It may be solid, spotted, or marked in a variety of patterns. *

Health.....Because llamas and their ancestors are specially suited to the harsh environment of their Andean homeland,they are hardy, healthy, easy to care for, and remarkably disease-free. 

History 

The llama was bred specifically to produce a large, strong animal for the packing function. The alpaca was bred to accentuate its naturally finer wool. The harvest of this fine wool served as the base for a significant domestic textile market.  

The pivotal role that llamas and alpacas played in the Incan culture and economy naturally elevated them to a highly regarded status. Husbandry and management practices were very sophisticated for that period of history. The reign of the llama and alpaca in the Andean region ended abruptly in the early 1500s with the Spanish conquest of that region of South America. The Spaniards initiated their colonization with the systematic destruction of the llamas and alpacas and replaced them with their own domestic species, principally sheep. The European stock displaced the native camelids from every part of the region save the highest reaches of the puna where the foreign stock had no chance of survival because of the harsh climate. Exiled to the upper regions of their natural territory, the llama and alpaca languished as second-rate citizens while the sophisticated husbandry and management systems, were lost amid Spanish prejudice and misunderstanding. The wild vicuna and guanaco were hunted to the point of extinction for their fine pelts and to eliminate competition with domestic stock. The llama and alpaca became animals of the poor and formed the base of a subsistence culture for the natives of the high puna. Rediscovery of the alpaca's fine wool by the international textile market in the late 1800s led to a higher level of interest in the alpaca, in turn leading to increased management, research, and selective breeding. The llama continued its obscure existence until about 30 years ago. The Andean countries, especially Peru and Bolivia, have, of late, recognized the importance of native camelid species in their cultures and have begun to restore them to their rightful place as the preferred inhabitants of their varied landscape. The alpaca has led in this resurgence because of its desirable fiber. Strong world demand has fostered growth of an economically significant industry and, more importantly, has caused these Andean countries to recognize all the camelid species as unique to their region and as a part of their heritage. In turn, the animals are once again viewed as a national treasure to be protected and promoted. Preservation of the wild herds of nearly extinct vicunas and guanacos has become a priority, and hunting bans have been imposed and enforced. Research into management and breeding of the llama has been instituted and carried on in conjunction with current alpaca research. Obviously, modern transportation has reduced the importance of the llama as a beast of burden. Primary emphasis is now being placed on this animal as a food source with fiber production as a secondary function. The exportation of camelids has been closely monitored and discouraged as the Andean countries attempt to improve the quality of their stock and build numbers. 

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