Camelid

Camelids are the members of the camel family, Camelidae. The family includes the one-humped dromedary and two-humped Bactrian camels of Africa and Asia, and four South American relatives: the llama, alpaca, guanaco and vicuna.

Camelid Quick Facts

Common name	Camelid
Scientific name	Camelidae
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Artiodactyla
Type	Even-toed hoofed mammal
Native range	Llama: South America (Andes)
Weight	Llama 130-200 kg
Height	Llama up to 1.7-1.8 m
Special feature	Three-chambered stomach; cannot lick babies

Where Camelids Fit In

Camelids are even-toed hoofed mammals, part of the same big group as pigs, deer, cattle, goats, antelope and hippos. Scientists have also discovered that whales and dolphins belong in this group, because they evolved from land-living hoofed ancestors. The camel family is the only living family in its suborder, called Tylopoda, which means “padded foot.”

The llama was domesticated by people in the Andes Mountains of South America thousands of years ago, long before Europeans arrived. It was used to carry loads over mountain trails and to provide wool, meat and leather. The alpaca was domesticated from the wild vicuna, mainly for its soft, warm fiber.

Description

Camelids are large animals with long, thin legs and long, slender necks. Unlike most hoofed animals, they do not walk on hard hooves. Each foot has two toes with small nails on top and a soft, leathery pad underneath, which spreads out to grip sand or rocky ground.

Other features that make camelids special:

• They rest by folding their legs underneath their bodies and lying on their chests.
• Their stomach has three chambers, while cows, sheep and goats have four. Like cows, they bring food back up to chew again, which is called chewing the cud.
• They have a split upper lip that can move each half separately, which is handy for picking leaves.
• Adult males grow sharp, tusk-like teeth called fighting teeth.
• Their red blood cells are oval instead of round, which may help them cope with dehydration and, for llamas and alpacas, high altitudes.

A grown llama stands about 1.7 to 1.8 m (5.5 to 6 feet) tall at the top of the head and weighs about 130 to 200 kg (290 to 440 pounds). Llamas usually live 15 to 20 years, and some live longer.

Reproduction

Camelids have an unusual way of reproducing. Females do not have a regular breeding cycle like many mammals. Instead, they are induced ovulators, which means their body releases an egg only after mating. Female llamas can start breeding at about one year old, while males usually are not ready until around three years old.

Camelids also mate lying down, which is rare for large animals, and mating can last 20 to 45 minutes. A llama or alpaca is pregnant for about 11 to 11.5 months (around 350 days), and camels for about 13 months. Mothers almost always have just one baby, called a cria in llamas and alpacas or a calf in camels.

Unlike many hoofed animals, camelid mothers do not lick their newborns clean. Their tongues barely reach out of their mouths. Instead they sniff, nuzzle and softly hum to their babies.

Farming

Camels, llamas and alpacas are all farmed. Camels are kept for transport, milk and meat across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Alpacas are raised mainly for their soft fiber, which is spun into yarn for sweaters, hats and blankets. Llamas are used as pack animals, for wool and meat, and even as guard animals that protect sheep from coyotes and foxes.

Outside South America, alpacas and llamas have become popular on small farms in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Most are kept for fiber, breeding or as friendly farm animals, but a small number of farms also sell their meat.

As Food

Photo by: Yamen

In the Andes, llama and alpaca meat has been eaten for centuries, often dried into a jerky called charqui. Camel meat and milk are traditional foods in many desert regions.

Alpaca and llama meat is high in protein and very lean, which means it has little fat. Its lightness is often compared to turkey and other poultry. Cuts include tenderloin, loin, steak, rump and shoulder.

Because the meat has so little fat, it dries out easily. Cooks usually sear it quickly in a very hot pan or on a grill to form a tasty brown crust, sometimes finishing it in a hot oven. The key is not to overcook it.

Camelid FAQs