A wild camelid of South America and the ancestor of the domestic llama. It is one of the largest land mammals native to South America today, with a light brown to cinnamon coat, a white belly and a grey face. It is a fast runner and an excellent swimmer.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
At a glance
Found inSouth America
HabitatGrassland, Scrub, Mountains, Desert
ColoursTan, White
SizeLarge
Length2.1–2.2 m (body)
Height1–1.3 m at the shoulder
Weight90–140 kg
Legs4
Covered inWool
Lives inherds
Lives for20–25 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, especially Patagonia, with a few in Paraguay; a small introduced herd lives in the Falklands.
Did you know
The wild ancestor of the llama, and it spits up to 1.8 metres when threatened.
It runs at up to 56 km/h, often over steep, rocky ground.
Some live in the Atacama Desert, where parts have had no rain for over 50 years.
Often confused with
- Llama
The llama is the domesticated descendant of the guanaco; the guanaco’s colour varies very little.
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