2LearnKept species
Llama
Lama glama
The llama is the largest South American camelid, domesticated in the Andes from the guanaco as a pack animal. It is also kept for fibre, and geldings are often used to guard sheep and goats from predators. Well-raised llamas are calm, independent and easy to handle.
About
Species of mammal.
- Family
- Camelidae
Keeping
How it is kept
Kept for
- Draught work
- Fibre
- Guarding
- Temperament
- Calm and independent; watchful as a flock guard
- Mature weight
- 130–200 kg
- Lifespan
- 15–20 years
- Gestation
- 350 days
- Forage
- Grazers and browsers that need good grass or hay, clean water and a mineral supplement made for camelids.
- Housing
- A simple field shelter and good fencing. A single gelding kept as a guard lives with the sheep or goats it protects.
- Good to know
- Llamas work as pack animals and as guardians for flocks. Like alpacas, they should not be raised to treat people as herd mates when young. They are shorn or brushed for fibre and need their toenails checked regularly.
Photos, videos and notes
From keepers
Known as
Names around the world
- en
- llama
Full detailsevery field on the record, to copy
- Name
- Llama
- Slug
- llama
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Family
- Camelidae
- Genus
- Lama
- Species
- glama
- Wikidata QID
- Q42569
- Container suitable
- No
- Indoor suitable
- No
- OSSI pledged
- No
- Hazard level
- 1
- Data completeness
- 48
Generated sections & citations
summarywikidata