CAMELIDS IN SOUTH AMERICA: LLAMAS, ALPACAS, VICUÑAS y GUANACOS

Often enough we hear people wondering about these creatures and how do you distinguish between them? At first glance these Camelids may all appear identical, but they each have unique features. These animals are all perfectly adapted to high elevations, cold temperatures, low water conditions, and they are agile in traversing rocky terrains. In addition, they all are able to make high pitched warning whistles, and when really annoyed or threated they can robustly spit to startle would be predators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Llamas:

The llamas are the biggest of the South American camelid group; they can be as tall as 5.9 feet. Their colors vary, but most common are white, black, brown, or spotted with these colors. One of their main characteristic is the long ears in comparison to the other three camelids. The double Ll spelling has a special pronunciation that sounds more like “ya”, which tends to cross up non-Latinos into grossly miss naming the llama as La-ma. Llamas do not come from La la land. People have the same difficulty with the words cordillera and tortilla.

The llamas have always been a domestic animal that was used during the Inca Empire. Incas used to have an “Illa” consisting of a miniature figure of the domestic animal made of stone and buried in sacred places believed to help with their reproduction. Also the llamas were sacrificial animals during the Inca Empire. The Incas used the white llamas known as “pillco llamas” in the Sun Ceremony. For this the llama was dressed up with an especially made garment, and adorned with feathers of different colors. These llamas were carefully chosen, the whitest will be the best offered as it was considered the purest. Also age and sex would play a role in the sacrifice; the males were considered the best. Along with the llamas they offered some of their best textiles, coca leaves and chicha especially prepared for the occasion.  There were many other sacrifices based on the type of ceremony but unfortunately most of them included the sacrifice of the llama or llamas in many occasions, some also indicate that black llamas were used in the ceremony for a good rain season.

The llama´s wool is rough and thin. It was used to make cords during the Inca era, and still has this application today. The llamas have always been domesticated animals and serve as pack animals due to their docility. Still to this day you can see them in Huaraz or Cusco carrying peoples’ stuff on their trekking adventure. In many Peruvian plazas you can find locals with their llamas in fancy clothes ready for a picture with them. Llamas and alpacas have been introduced to North America and people are getting more familiar with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alpacas:

Alpacas are domesticated as well as the llamas. They are smaller in size in comparison to the llamas; frequently people will have both animals and use them for different purposes. We are all familiar with alpaca products. The main reason why people will raise them is for their wool.

Alpacas are herd animals and they are very territorial so people would also have them as guards for other small animals. As any other camelids alpacas can spit if they feel threatened but before they will warn the enemy with a hissing sound, so be aware because they can spit a good distance.

The alpacas and llamas were used for their meat as well. During the Inca Empire it’s believed that the alpaca wool production was at its highest; maybe because the Incas had a special group of women dedicated to knitting known as “acllas”. It is no surprise that they chose to knit with alpaca wool rather than the llama wool simply because it is softer and can offer warmth to your body.

The alpaca meat had been consumed even before the Incas, today many restaurants in Cusco offer dishes prepared with alpaca meat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guanaco:

Guanacos and Vicuñas are wild camelids unlike the llamas and alpacas. Guanacos cover a larger area throughout La Cordillera de los Andes. A good way to distinguish them is by their color ranging from light brown to even a darker brown, with black faces. They are easy to spot up in the highlands in many countries of South America. Guanacos, llamas and alpacas have always played a very important role in the Andean society for their many uses, wool for clothing, as pack animals and for their meat. They are generally more abundant in parts of Chile and are very common in Argentina.

Guanacos were also used in sacrifices and their wool was used to make clothes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Vicuñas:

Vicuñas are the smallest of the camelid group and they are very similar to the guanacos. They are always light brown to white. Their wool is the most valuable among the camelids because it is the softest. Their wool had been used only to dress the Incas and people that were attributed that privilege.

Vicuña wool is the reason these camelids are popular. Even during the Inca Empire they wouldn´t sacrifice vicuñas unless it was for a special ritual because they valued their wool.

Vicunas are most abundant in Peru where they are a protected species. It is a symbol on the Peruvian National Coat of Arms.

 

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ResearchGate: James M. Wise 

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