# Llama — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)*

> The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated Andean camelid bred for 5,000+ years as a pack animal and fibre source; descended from the guanaco, roughly seven million llamas support highland communities in Peru and Bolivia.

**IUCN status:** Domesticated — wild ancestor guanaco Least Concern  ·  **WARN range:** Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Weight | 130–200 kg |
| Role | Pack animal, fibre source, guard animal |
| Load capacity | 25–30% of body weight |
| Altitude | Up to 4,000+ m in the Andes |
| Wild ancestor | Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) |
| CITES | Appendix II (wild guanaco) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Camelidae
- **Genus:** Lama
- **Species:** Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Domesticated — not assessed. Wild guanaco ancestor Least Concern but declining locally.
- **Population:** Roughly seven million in Bolivia and Peru
- **Trend:** Stable — commercial livestock
- **Assessed:** 2016 (guanaco)
- **CITES:** Appendix II (wild guanaco)

## Key facts: Llama
- Llamas are domesticated camelids descended from the wild guanaco.
- They have been used as pack animals in the Andes for over 5,000 years.
- Llamas carry 25–30% of body weight across high-altitude mountain trails.
- Bolivia and Peru hold roughly seven million llamas between them.
- Llamas are intelligent, social and communicate through hums and body posture.
- Wild guanacos face habitat loss and hunting in Patagonia.

## Domestication and Andean culture
Llamas were domesticated from the guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in the Andean highlands more than 5,000 years ago — before alpacas, which descend from vicuñas. Inca civilisation relied on llama caravans to transport goods along the Qhapaq Ñan road network spanning 30,000 km.

Llama fibre was woven into textiles; dung fuelled fires at altitude where wood is scarce; meat provided protein. Spanish colonisation devastated traditional herd management, but indigenous communities preserved llama husbandry. Today llamas remain essential to highland economies in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador.

## Pack animals and fibre
Llamas are the largest Andean camelid and the primary pack animal. A healthy adult carries 25–30% of its body weight — roughly 40–60 kg — for 15–20 km daily at elevations above 4,000 m. Their soft-padded feet cause minimal trail erosion compared with horses or mules.

Llama fleece is coarser than alpaca but still valuable; annual shearing yields 2–3 kg. Guard llamas are used on farms worldwide to protect sheep from foxes and coyotes — llamas bond with sheep herds and chase off predators.

## Behaviour and communication
Llamas are social herd animals that become anxious in isolation. They communicate through soft hums, alarm calls, ear position and tail posture. Spitting — regurgitated stomach contents — is directed at other llamas during hierarchy disputes, not typically at humans unless provoked. Llamas are intelligent and learn quickly; they can be trained to accept halters, loads and basic commands. They graze grasses and hay, using a three-compartment stomach efficient at processing coarse high-altitude forage.

## Wild guanaco conservation
Domestic llamas are not conservation targets, but their wild ancestor the guanaco persists across Patagonia and the Andes. Guanacos are Least Concern globally but face habitat loss from ranching, fencing that blocks migration, and hunting. Roughly 600,000 guanacos remain — a fraction of historic numbers. CITES Appendix II regulates guanaco trade. Sustainable guanaco fibre harvesting in Argentina mirrors the vicuña chaku model. Llama farming reduces pressure on wild guanacos by meeting commercial demand through domestic stock.

## Related WARN guides
Llamas are Andean pack camelids — read WARN's alpaca guide for the smaller fibre specialist, camel page for Old World relatives, and working donkey and horse guides for other load-bearing animals WARN supports.

Wild guanaco conservation underpins llama domestication heritage.

Fair load limits and heat-stress awareness protect working llamas worldwide.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes this llama guide as free public education. The guanaco — wild ancestor of the llama — faces habitat pressures in Patagonia that mirror the challenges facing wildlife across our partner countries.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Llama
### What is the difference between a llama and an alpaca?
Llamas are larger (130–200 kg), with longer faces and coarser fleece, bred as pack animals. Alpacas are smaller (55–65 kg), with finer fleece, bred for fibre production. Llamas descend from guanacos; alpacas from vicuñas.

### How much weight can a llama carry?
A healthy adult llama carries 25–30% of its body weight — roughly 40–60 kg — for 15–20 km daily at high altitude. Overloading causes injury and is considered poor husbandry.

### Are llamas wild animals?
No. Llamas have been domesticated for over 5,000 years. Their wild ancestor is the guanaco, which survives in Patagonia and the Andes.

### Do llamas spit?
Yes. Llamas spit regurgitated stomach contents at each other during hierarchy disputes. Well-handled llamas rarely spit at people unless frightened or provoked.

### Where do llamas live?
Domestic llamas are kept on high-altitude pastures in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador. They also appear on farms worldwide, including as guard animals for sheep.

### How many llamas are there?
Bolivia and Peru together hold roughly seven million llamas. Smaller populations exist in Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and on farms internationally.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Lama guanicoe (guanaco)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/11186/18540244)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — llama](https://www.britannica.com/animal/llama)
- [Food and Agriculture Organization — camelids](https://www.fao.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/llama