Ah the llama—another one of
mother nature’s Great Misunderstood Creatures. Let’s set the record straight;
llama handlers would like you to know that their charges are not crotchety and
churlish as they have so often been portrayed, but rather gentle, intelligent,
curious—aristocratic in bearing and possessing of a fine emotional sensitivity.
Yes, they have been known to occasionally expectorate a kind of green, gooey
phlegm-type substance, but usually only at each other in regards to some
hierarchy dispute; in other words, if a llama spits in your face, you probably
deserved it.
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Sweet-tempered then, tough,
strong, and surefooted on those rocky mountain passes—it’s no wonder llamas are
Bolivia’s national animal. Native to the Andes, llamas have been domesticated
since the days of the ancien...
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Sweet-tempered then, tough,
strong, and surefooted on those rocky mountain passes—it’s no wonder llamas are
Bolivia’s national animal. Native to the Andes, llamas have been domesticated
since the days of the ancient empire of Tiwanaku (1200-1000 BC), when elites
maintained their status by collecting and redistributing any food surplus, the
transportation of which was undertaken by this robust animal, capable of
carrying between 25-30% of their body weight 5-8 miles at a time. Today llamas
are still carrying things long distances for Bolivians, who also use their wool
to make clothing. And llamamania doesn’t stop there: the animal’s meat is
enjoyed in various tasty preparations, including “charque” (think beef jerky)
and dried llama fetuses, which are thought to bring good luck, and often buried
under the cornerstone of a new house/building.
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