CCCVI Camelus Glama Linn.

Title

CCCVI Camelus Glama Linn.

Description

Illustration shows a llama. From "Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur. Erlangen: Expedition of the Schreber'sche Säugthier and Esper'sche Schmetterlingswerkes etc., 1774 -1846." Volckart after De Seve from: Schreber, Johann Daniel von: The mammals in illustrations.

ca. 1800

Artist

Volkart (1750-1812)

Johann Friedrich Volckart (1750-1812), Nuremberg engraver and illustrator.

Historical Description

The llama is a type of camel. It is widespread in the South American Andes and is a form of domestic animal descended from the guanaco. The wild ancestor of the llama is Lama guanicoe cacsilensis, the northern subspecies of the guanaco. All civilizations in the Andes region used the llama. It was mainly used as a pack animal - no other animal was domesticated for this purpose on the American double continent. The wool can also be used, although the alpaca was considered more valuable. The indigenous peoples of the Andes also ate the meat of the llama, made leather from its skin, made candles from its fat and used its excrement as fuel. The llama was of paramount importance to the Inca civilization. Over ten million llamas were kept by the Incas and their vassal peoples at the time of the Spanish conquest of South America, but with the Spanish conquista the animal gradually lost importance in favor of horses and sheep. The llama is still used as a pack animal in inaccessible regions of the Andes. A total of around three million llamas are kept in South America today, mainly for their meat and wool. However, they are now also bred outside South America. Llamas are also bred in Europe and the wool is shorn and processed.