Llama Facts
The llama is a domesticated camelid from South America, a mammal that Andean cultures have used for meat and as a pack animal since before Columbus.
- Class
- Mammal
- Scientific name
- Lama glama
About the llama
Llamas live in herds and pick up simple tasks after only a few tries. With a pack on, one can haul about 25 to 30% of its body weight for 8 to 13 km (5 to 8 miles). Their soft wool holds only a little lanolin. European settlers took the name from the Quechua language of Peru, and older spellings include lama and glama.
Oddly, the llama's family story starts in North America. Its ancestors likely arose on the Great Plains about 40 million years ago and reached South America roughly three million years back, and by the close of the last ice age, camelids were gone from North America. As of 2007, South America had over seven million llamas and alpacas, and descendants of imports in Canada and the US now top 158,000 llamas.
Did you know?
- In Aymara mythology, the Heavenly Llama drinks from the ocean and its urine falls as rain.
- More than 100,000 alpacas in the United States and Canada are descendants of imported animals.
- The first imported llamas reached Canada and the US in the late 20th century.
Questions about the llama
How much can a llama carry?
About 25 to 30% of its body weight, for 8 to 13 km (5 to 8 miles).
Where do llamas come from?
Llamas were domesticated in South America, though their ancestors began on North America's Great Plains.
Sources
- Wikidata Q42569, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Llama, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.