employ : Llamas are widely used as protector animals ; fleece producers ( llama fiber average 20 to 30 microns in diam , compared to alpaca fiber ’s 15 to 30 micron ) ; show , pack , and cart animals ; as animal - assisted therapy workers , and as favorite .
History : The ancestor of today ’s llamas germinate on the cardinal knit stitch of North America about 40 million years ago . Some migrated north across the Bering Straits to further evolve as Old World camels , others journeyed south to become South American camelids : Lama guanicoe and vicuñas . These two species were domesticated in the high plains of Peru well before 3000 B.C. , becoming llamas and Lama pacos , severally . The ancient kinship group of the region , most notably the Incas , kept llamas as pack animals . Llamas also produced roughage for weaving rug and twisting potent ropes , they provided tasty marrow , and they were wide employed as sacrifice in ancient burials and religious rites . After the Spanish conquest , more than 300,000 llamas were used to pack ore down from the illustrious Potosí mines alone . In the late 1800 ’s , North American European zoos began adding llamas to their collections . One of the more significant importation occur in the early 1900s when William Randolph Hearst imported 12 llamas to live his San Simeon estate . Eventually , llamas became more commonplace , leading to an active grocery store both here and afield . The United States llama herd now numbers in excess of 100,000 brute .
conformity : Llamas come in all sizing from standard - size of it llamas in the 250 to 400 pound range to miniature llamas standing 38 inches or less at the articulatio humeri . Four coat type obtain : llamas with short , shedding fiber ( also ring classic or ccara llamas ) ; intermediate - length fiber ( sometimes call curaca llamas ) ; long , non - shedding vulcanized fiber ( variously call tapada and lanuda llamas ) , and non - shedding suri llamas with fiber that fall in lock like that of longwool sheep . Llamas come in a palate of beautiful color ramble from white to blackamoor and everything in between in solids and pieds and appaloosa - spotted animals .
Special Considerations / Notes : It ’s a common misconception that llamas readily spit ; while they do spit at one another and in perceived ego - defence , socialized llamas rarely sprinkle at their human caretakers . They ’re intelligent , intensely interested in the public around them , and somewhat aloof ( many seasoned owners compare them to cats ) . babe llamas ( call crias ) should never be separated from their dyke and bottle - advance as pets ( visit llama trainer John ’s Mellon ’s website at www.mallonmethod.com/llearning4.html to learn precisely why ) .
