Lama is a domesticated animal that belongs to the camel family. The first to tame the Lama were the Indians. Long before the horses were brought to South America, they were used to transport cargo.
Features of the animal
Lamas in height reach from 1 to 1.3 m., and sometimes some species are up to 2 m. and weighing up to 200 kg. The color of thick wool is diverse and can vary from white to black and brown. Adult males can carry up to 50 kg of weight and walk up to 25 km per day. These animals are as fast as horses. Sometimes llamas can reach speeds of up to 55 - 65 km/h. If the weight is too heavy, the animal stops and sits down. No matter how much he punishes and forces the owner to rise, the lama will not rise. If the driver is very annoying, they can spit like a camel.
Females are not used to transport cargo, only to raise offspring. Carrying a baby takes 11 months. After the birth of the animal immediately becomes confident on its feet. The female feeds her baby for 4 months.
Lamas are not whimsical, eating hay, grass, leaves and branches. One adult needs up to 3 kg of food. At home, they are easy to breed and feed with other foods, for example:
with apples;
carrots;
Oatmeal.
Lamas are quiet animals. Basically, they make a sound like a donkey's cry when they see a stranger approaching. Animals live in nature for about 20 years.
Interesting facts
Lamas, in spite of the clumsiness of their appearance, they give in to training. Unlike sheep's wool, it is not covered in skin fat and is cleaner. Cut animals once for 2 years, and with one llama you can get up to 2 kg of wool. It is used to make warm blankets, meat is used as food. And skin and skin are used for making clothes. And subcutaneous fat is used to make candles.
One of the types of lamps is alpaca, which do not have front teeth. They pinch the grass only with their lips and chew with their side teeth.
The Lama is a camel animal from the Camel family, a squad of Ungulates. The homeland of the Lama is considered to be the Andes. There they live in small herds. They choose to live in places covered with shrubs.
The appearance of the llama. The llama has a long neck and limbs. It has a rounded face, lower incisors sharply protrude forward. The upper lip is bifurcated. Unlike other members of the Camel family, the lama has no hump. Lama's hair is long, shaggy, hangs down. The color of the wool may vary greatly. Lamas with red-brown wool are most often found. There are white or yellow inclusions.
The height in the withers is about 1.2 meters. The width of the lamas also has a size of about 1.2 meters. Its weight varies from 130 to 150 kg. Despite the fact that the lamas are hoofed, they do not smoke. But there are three fingers on the extremities covered with leathery outgrowths. This is a special device that allows the llamas to move around in mountainous and rocky terrain.
Reproduction of lamas. Lamas are considered to be polygamous animals, that is, one male can have several females. As a rule, each male has its own harem, which includes 5-6 females. The harem occupies a certain area, which the male protects. If another male enters the territory, the owner kicks him out, becoming extremely aggressive. Young males may not have harem. As a rule, they live in the herd first, and only over time, reaching a certain level of maturity, create their harem.
Lamas mate in late summer or early autumn. Female bears offspring for about 360 days (just under a year). One calf is born. However, the offspring are born almost every year. An hour after birth, the newborn baby stands on its feet and can follow its mother. The weight of the newborn baby is about 10 kg. Approximately 4 months a female feeds her cub with milk. At the age of 2, the llama is considered an adult and becomes sexually mature.
Feeding the llama. The basis of the llama's diet is made up of stunted shrubs. They also like to eat lichens and mountain vegetation. Due to the fact that llamas live in dry areas, they prefer to eat plants that live in dry areas: cacti, succulents. The main moisture is obtained from plants. Lamas are ruminants. If you keep the llama as a pet, it can be fed the same way as goats or sheep. Lamas should be given water every day - about 2-3 litres a day
Lamas have been domesticated for a long time. They have warm, thick wool, which acts as a valuable raw material. There are known products made of lamas wool, which are very warm and soft. Also, some farmers use llamas to protect the area: they drive away predators. Lamas get along well in any conditions, they easily find common ground with other animals. If you settle the llama with goats or sheep, they will quickly make friends with them and protect them. This is especially true for males.
