Llama - Video Learning - WizScience.com

• published: 13 Aug 2015
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The "llama" is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times. The height of a full-grown, full-size llama is 1.7 to 1.8 m tall at the top of the head, and can weigh between 130 and 200 kg . At birth, a baby llama can weigh between 9 and 14 kg . Llamas typically live for 15-25 years, with some individuals surviving 30 years or more. They are very social animals and live with other llamas as a herd. The wool produced by a llama is very soft and lanolin-free. Llamas are intelligent and can learn simple tasks after a few repetitions. When using a pack, they can carry about 25% to 30% of their body weight for 8–13 km . The name "llama" was adopted by European settlers from native Peruvians. Llamas appear to have originated from the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago. They migrated to South America about three million years ago. By the end of the last ice age , camelids were extinct in North America. As of 2007, there were over seven million llamas and alpacas in South America, and due to importation from South America in the late 20th century, there are now over 158,000 llamas and 100,000 alpacas in the United States and Canada. Lamoids, or llamas , consist of the vicuña , guanaco , Suri alpaca, and Huacaya alpaca , and the domestic llama . Guanacos and vicuñas live in the wild, while alpacas – as well as llamas – exist only as domesticated animals. Although early writers compared llamas to sheep, their similarity to the camel was soon recognized. They were included in the genus "Camelus" along with alpaca in the "Systema Naturae" of Linnaeus. They were, however, separated by Cuvier in 1800 under the name of "lama" along with the guanaco. Alpacas and vicuñas are in genus "Vicugna". The genera "Lama" and "Vicugna" are, with the two species of true camels, the sole existing representatives of a very distinct section of the Artiodactyla or even-toed ungulates, called Tylopoda, or "bump-footed", from the peculiar bumps on the soles of their feet. The Tylopoda consist of a single family, the Camelidae, and shares the order Artiodactyla with the Suina , the Tragulina , the Pecora , and the Whippomorpha . The Tylopoda have more or less affinity to each of the sister taxa, standing in some respects in a middle position between them, sharing some characteristics from each, but in others showing special modifications not found in any of the other taxa. The 19th-century discoveries of a vast and previously unexpected extinct Paleogene fauna of North America, as interpreted by paleontologists Leidy, Cope, and Marsh, aided understanding of the early history of this family. Llamas were not always confined to South America; abundant llama-like remains were found in Pleistocene deposits in the Rocky Mountains and in Central America. Some of the fossil llamas were much larger than current forms. Some species remained in North America during the last ice ages. North American llamas are categorized as a single extinct genus, "Hemiauchenia". Llama-like animals would have been a common sight 25,000 years ago, in modern-day California, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Missouri, and Florida. Wiz Science™ is "the" learning channel for children and all ages. SUBSCRIBE TODAY Disclaimer: This video is for your information only. The author or publisher does not guarantee the accuracy of the content presented in this video. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Background Music: "The Place Inside" by Silent Partner (royalty-free) from YouTube Audio Library. This video uses material/images from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llama, which is released under Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ . This video is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ . To reuse/adapt the content in your own work, you must comply with the license terms.