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South American Camels
A llama.
Image Source: Christopher
Walker / License under Creative
Commons 2.0
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Though camels are often identified with the deserts of Arabia (the dromedary) or
the steppes of eastern Asia (the Bactrian), four of the six members of the Camelidae
family are found in South America. The South American llama (Lama glama), alpaca
(Lama pacos), guanaco (Lama guanacoe), and vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) may be further
distinguished as domesticated, i.e., llama and alpaca, or as wild animals, i.e.,
guanaco and vicuna. Like their Arabian and Asian counterparts, the South American
camels have the ability to survive arid climates through their capacity to take water
from their body tissue equivalent to 30% of their entire weight. [1] Unlike the Bactrian and the dromedary, South
American camels do not have humps; but, they do share the characteristic Camelid
distinguishing trait of padded feet rather than hoofs-- to keep them from sinking
into drifting sand-- as well as uniquely, oval shaped red blood cells-- to allow
for the expansion of the cells without rupturing, when the Camelid drinks large amounts
of water. [2]
An alpaca.
Image Source: "Cyron"
/ License under Creative Commons
2.0
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x 600
Evidence suggests that both the llama and alpaca were bred by the native people of
the Andes from the guanaco or the vicuna-- the alpaca for its light, silky, warm,
hypoallergenic fleece, and the the llama for its beast of burden capability of carrying
25 to 30 per cent of its body weight. [3] [4] Docile in temperament, the llama was used
as a pack animal by the Incas. Llamas are two to three times the size of an alpaca,
and an alpaca stands about 36 inches (91 cm) at the withers (between the shoulder
blades) with a weight between 100 to 175 pounds (45-80 kg). Alpaca population estimates
were, in 1972, in Peru: 2,000,000, in Bolivia: 50,000; and, in 1996, in North America:
less than 8,000. [5] The market value of an alpaca, in 1997, was between $8,500 and $25,000
per animal. At one time, alpaca fibers were allowed only to be worn by Inca royalty.
As precious a commodity as the alpaca have been, it is interesting to note that a
large dog costs about as much to feed per day as an alpaca, and one acre provides
enough space to easily raise five to ten alpacas.
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