Llamas are members of the Camelid family and can be found in western South America, mostly in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. Its distant cousin is the camel; other Camelids found in South America are the guanaco, the alpaca and the vicuña. Fossils of llamas ancestors indicate that they originated from North America; from there, some llamas went north over the Bering land bridge to evolve into camels, whereas others moved south to make the llama branch. Llamas were first domesticated by the Incas in 4,000 B.C. They are sometimes known as “ships of the Andes” because they have been used as beasts of burden for centuries in the high Andes where the lack of oxygen and the difficult landscape required a strong, agile animal to carry heavy loads. Llamas can carry loads up to 100 lbs (45kg). They are, however, never ridden. In South America, they are still used for meat, wool, and as beasts of burden. They are also used to guard sheep, capitalizing on the llamas’ natural fear of pumas and coyote-like animals. As they sense the predators’ scent and presence, llamas make sonorous alarm calls. Llamas are raised in U.S. farms as livestock for wool, but also as pets, show animals, and in animal assisted therapies. Llamas’ thick hair is used to make wool blankets, coats and other warm garments. Llama hair varies widely in color and thickness. Llamas are social animals. They live in herds. They are friendly, calm, and gentle if properly socialized. They live between 15 and 30 years. They measure between 5’ to 6’5” (36” to 47” at the shoulder). A one-year-old llama will weigh between 125 to 200 lbs. An adult llama will weigh between 225 and 450 lbs. A baby llama is called a “cria”. Llamas eat grass and leaves in the wild, hay when domesticated. Adult llamas eat around 2% of their body weight in dry matter (moisture removed) per day; in other words a 350-lb llama eats about 7 lbs of dry matter a day. Llamas drink about 4 gallons of fresh and clean water a day. Llamas are quiet animals. They hum to communicate with each other. They can also cluck, orgle, snort, scream, or make an alarm call.