Mating occurs with the female in a lying down position, otherwise known as a "kush" position. The entire mating process can last anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes. Both of these traits are rare amongst larger animals.
A wild ancestor to llamas and alpacas, the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) is one of two South American camelids that has never been widely domesticated, with the other being the guanaco. Vicuñas are native to the central Andes of Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina.
Vicuñas are considerably smaller than most camelids. On average they stand about three feet high at the shoulders and weigh 100-150lbs. Unlike alpacas, vicuñas do not vary much in coat color, and are usually light brown on their backs with longer white fur covering their necks and undersides.
Vicuñas typically live in family groups consisting of 5-20 animals. This includes a single adult male, several adult females and their young. Most family groups live in two territories, a daytime grazing area, usually in lowlands with nutrient-rich grasses, and a nighttime sleeping area higher up in the mountains. The dominant male in these groups never allows family members to venture farther than 200 feet from one another at any time.
Though vicuñas do face natural threats from pumas and foxes, their largest threat comes from humans. Unrestricted hunting from the time of the Spanish conquests through the 1960’s had reduced the vicuña population to only about 6,000 individuals. They were declared endangered in 1974; since then, conservation efforts have allowed the vicuña population to soar to a current level of 350,000.
Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas on October 12th, 1492. Columbus Day is celebrated in the United States today in memory of that event and how it undoubtedly changed the world forever. One of the biggest impacts his arrival had was due to the number of animals and crops introduced to the New World; this is known as the Columbian Exchange.
From a biological perspective, both North and South America were very different places before European settlers arrived. With the exception of alpacas and llamas there were virtually no large animals in the Americas suitable for domestication. The Europeans introduced cattle, sheep, goats and of course, horses; all animals considered vital to both the history and modern economies of the Americas.
The new presence of these animals, all either nonnative or extinct in the Americas for thousands of years, changed life for native peoples significantly; large livestock animals allowed farming cultures to become ranching cultures, and the horse allowed native tribes the nomadic freedom to hunt large animals such as bison.
With trade between Europe and the Americas open for the first time, some New World animals were introduced to Europe as well. Turkeys, llamas, alpacas and guinea pigs were all introduced to Europe and Asia, where they are now common.
Though there is some debate over who actually “discovered” the New World, there is little doubt that the animals introduced during the Columbian Exchange affected it in a very profound way.
For as long as people have been breeding and keeping livestock, protection of the herd has always been an issue. Domesticated animals don’t usually have the instincts to avoid predation and they are often at risk of being killed by coyotes, wolves, big cats and wild dogs while grazing in the open. Since long before the invention of firearms, ranchers and shepherds have used guard dogs to protect their herds. Always vigilant, these dogs keep a watchful eye for unwelcome visitors and will place themselves between the hunter and the herd to protect it.
As effective a guard dogs are, there are some other unlikely choices you may not be aware of.
Guard Llama - Photo by Paul Keleher
Llamas have proven to be very effective at guarding sheep. They are naturally alert and can be very territorial. If an intruder approaches, the llama can make a variety of loud calls and will herd the animals it is watching over into a small group, placing itself in between them and intruder. Llamas will chase and kick those who get to close and have even been known to kill coyotes and dogs to protect the herd. They are fairly low maintenance animals and usually work best alone. The below video shows a guard llama with its herd of goats and sheep. Donkeys are another popular choice as a guard animal as they are naturally wary of strangers and harbor a strong dislike of predatory animals, even domestic dogs. Donkeys have fantastic hearing and good eyesight as well as a loud bay that can be used to warn the herd. Like llamas, guard donkeys can and will attack threats if necessary. The video below shows a guard donkey attacking a ranch fence when strangers approach in a car. It may seem funny, but these donkeys take their jobs pretty seriously!
According to an Iowa State University study, the use of these unconventional guard animals is extremely effective, in some cases reducing predatory losses to only 7% of the herd.
While wildlife lovers will always view coyotes and dingoes as rightful residents of their habitats, to ranchers they represent a significant problem as pests. Using effective guard animals such as llamas and donkeys allows ranchers to protect their herds from predators without resorting to killing the predators, which seems like a win-win situation for everyone.
