Cria

A cria (pronounced /kriː.ə/) is the name for a baby camelid such as a llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. It comes from the Spanish word cría, meaning "baby". Its false cognate in English, crya (pronounced /kraɪ.ə/), was coined by British sailors who explored Chile in the 18th century and were quick to describe the camelids onomatopoeically according to the mwa sound they made, which was not unlike that of a human crying baby.

Alpaca crias

In alpacas, pregnancies last 11 to 12 months, and usually result in a single cria. Twins are rare, approximately ¹⁄₁₀₀₀, slightly rarer than the proportion of twins in human births. Twin cria births are not only rare, but dangerous. A twin birth can kill both the mother and crias. Male crias are taken out when the mother weans him. Female crias are weaned by the mother but not taken out.

Llama crias

Llama crias are typically born with the whole herd gathering around (just the females are present, as the males are considered a threat) in an attempt to protect against potential predators. Llamas give birth standing, and the process is usually relatively quick and problem-free, over in less than 30 minutes. Most births take place between 8 am and noon, during the relatively warmer daylight hours. This may increase cria survival by reducing fatalities due to hypothermia during cold Andean nights. While unproven, it is speculated that this birthing pattern is a continuation of the birthing patterns observed in the wild. Crias are up and standing, walking and attempting to nurse within the first hour after birth. Llama milk is lower in fat and salt and higher in phosphorus and calcium than cow or goat milk. A female llama will only produce about 60 ml (2 US fl oz) of milk at a time when she gives milk. For this reason, the cria must suckle frequently to receive the nutrients it requires.