Llama

This article is about a South-American type of Camel. The article about the religious teacher of Eastern Religions is at Lama

Llama
An Argentine llama
Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Camelidae
Genus:	Lama
Species:	L. glama
Binomial name
Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)

A Llama (Lama glama) is a mammal of the Camelidae family. It is from South America, the Andes Mountains of Peru and Ecuador.

Sometimes the name llama is used for all four South American camelids.

Llama and humans

The llama was domesticated about 5000 years ago. It was and is used for carrying things, and for wool. The llama was very important for the Incan people. Even today, llamas are used for similar reasons, but will more commonly be used as domesticated pets. The llama's close relative is the alpaca, who is a more demure, petite animal in comparison to the llama. Llamas have three related cousins - the alpaca, the guanaco, and the vicuña. The llama is the national symbol of Bolivia.