How llamas conquered the world

[Judi Lynn]

How llamas conquered the world
WRITTEN BY

Helen Cowie
Lecturer in Early Modern History, University of York
28 mins ago

Llamas recently have become a relatively common sight around the world. Whether you live in England or New South Wales, Canada, or New Zealand, you don’t have to go too far to find a llama. Indeed thousands of llamas are registered in the UK, where the species has emerged as a popular (if seemingly unlikely) choice for many aspiring livestock owners and is winning new admirers by the day.

While the llama is currently on the up, its history has not always been so rosy. Reared intensively by the Incas, llamas suffered severely at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors and still lack the genetic diversity they enjoyed in Pre-Columbian times. But over the past few decades, llamas have flourished as a global commodity, fulfilling novel roles and gaining an international profile.

So how has the llama gone from near extinction to global sensation?

The ancestors of the llama originated in the Great Plains of North America around 40-50 million years ago and migrated to South America three million years ago, when a land bridge formed between the two continents. Llamas themselves are believed to be descended from guanacos—their wild cousins—and were first domesticated around 4,500BC.

More:
https://qz.com/1056632/how-llamas-conquered-the-world/

[DetlefK]

1. I recently saw a feature about Llamas being used to shepherd sheep.

An old shepherd in the Alps uses two Llamas to protect his sheep. The Llamas graze with the sheep and if a wolf were to come near, unlike sheep they would charge and attack the wolf with kicks.

[sandensea]

2. And by being cute as a button.

Plus their other talent...

[Duppers]

3. And... I've heard that these cuties will bite.

Being members of the camel family, which do bite, I curiously did a little search and this was the first thing that came up....(ewww)....


"To secure the title as the only fertile male in a herd, llamas will attempt to castrate each other. For this reason, many farmers elect to have the fighting teeth removed. Even after castration, llamas can be extremely dangerous. They have been known to attack and even kill people on occasion."

http://knowledgenuts.com/2013/12/19/male-llamas-bite-off-each-others-genitalia/

NumbNuts.

But IF they were that "dangerous," they wouldn't be such useful animals and pets.