Amazing Facts About the Llama

• A baby llama is called a cria. Females typically give birth with all the other females in the herd gathered round. This is to protect the newborn from potential predators. Crias are able to walk and suckle within the first hour since birth.

• Despite their size, llamas feet, which comprise of soft pads and two toenails, have less of an impact on the ground than an average hiker’s boots.

• Llamas communicate with each other through a variety of ear, tail and body postures. They also have a range of vocalisations including soft hums and a shrill alarm call to warn others of danger.

• Llamas are highly social animals, brought up in family groups, where they care for each other.

• In mountainous regions llamas migrate up and down mountains, moving up to higher regions when it is warm, in order to stay cooler, and moving back down in winter when temperatures start to drop.

• Llamas sometimes spit when angry or establishing dominance. This often negates the potential for physical aggression.

• Llamas are peaceful natured hardy animals. They have excellent survival skills and their thick coats allow them to thrive in climates with extreme temperatures.

• Llamas were native to North America. However they gradually migrated to South America from the North American plains around 3 million years ago.

• The llama is the national symbol of Peru and appears on many tourist products as well as coins and stamps.

Quick Facts
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Lifespan: Around 20 years
Size: Average about 1.7-1.8 m tall
Weight: Around 110 kg
Habitat: Mountains, desert and grassland
Range: Wild populations in the Andes region in South America, particularly prominent in Peru
Scientific name: Lama glama