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Today on Animal Fact Files we're going to be talking about llamas. If you like learning facts about animals then subscribe to this channel so you can stay up to date on all the new content.

You might be surprised to learn that up until pretty recently llamas were almost as obscure as Chester leaving behind any trace of food at meal time. Until the 1970s it was pretty uncommon to hear mention of this spitting steed. By today's standards this seems unheard of considering the droves of llama references in today's internet culture. We're getting ahead of ourselves, though.

Looking back to somewhere around 40 million years ago, the early ancestors of llamas lived in today's North America. Icy land bridges that aren't around anymore allowed them to travel to Asia as well as South America. Asian species' evolved to endure desert terrain while South American species' evolved to live in the Andes highlands. So, if you haven't already guessed, this means that llamas and camels are actually cousins - with llamas, of course, lacking that iconic hump.

Those llaman ancestors ended up dying off around the end of the Pleistocene Period when there was a pretty massive extinction event of other large mammals as well. But the large herds living in the Andes prospered and developed into the llamas that we know today. Something interesting though is that there are not any wild llamas (well maybe with the exception of that one that got loose from a German zoo - be free little llama!).

Llamas are descended from the wild guanaco, but they themselves are a domestic species. They have been raised primarily in South America and the Spanish conquest during the 1500s took a huge toll on their numbers. During this time they were estranged to only the highest elevations where the domestic sheep of Spanish conquerors were unable to live. Since then, they've gained back some ground. What's more is that the llama probably didn't even return to North American soil until the late 1800s.

At one point there were approximately only twelve llamas living in North America and a ban placed on their importation in the 1930s halted their growth there pretty significantly. It wasn't until the ban was raised in the 1970s that llamas again began to prosper in their originally native terrain. Now there are more than 100,000 llamas living in North America. They actually live all around the world including Europe, Australia and Canada. Though most of them live in Bolivia.

Llamas are kept primarily as pack animals and resources of fiber. A full-grown llama can carry more than 50 pounds of weight 20 miles in a day, if they're feeling up to it anyway. Too much weight and a llama will refuse to move completely, sometimes even lying down and spitting until their load is lightened. They're usually sheared, or they have their fur cut, once every two years. Their fur isn't as valuable as their relative the alpaca, but it is still used to make outerwear as well as ropes and rugs.

They are also used as a source of meat and as guard animals. Perhaps there's a questioning look developing upon your face, there certainly was on mine in coming across this information. Guard llamas? They’re used mostly in western regions of North America where canid populations are higher. By placing a llama with a group of livestock such as goats or horses, he will typically accept the other animals as part of his herd and protect them from predators. And llamas, they don't mess around. They'll kick and bite and, of course, spit at any creature they consider a threat to themselves or their herd. Maybe this behavior was the inspiration behind the Guard Llama which you may have seen on an episode of ABC's Shark Tank. #notsponsered #couldbe

Speaking of llama herds, they prefer to live in groups of upwards of 20 individuals consisting of a male and his females as well as that year's offspring. At about a year, baby llamas - or "crias" are kicked out to find their own herds. Llamas differ from most large mammals in that they don't have a set time during the year in which they breed. Females don't go into heat and instead are induced ovulators meaning they only release an egg after mating. This typically means that llamas are successful in conceiving a baby with their first attempt. The females will gestate, or remain pregnant, for about a year. When they give birth, it usually happens in the morning when the temperature is warmer and the cria is usually up and running within its first hour of life.

When they're born, llamas usually weigh around 30 pounds (fact check this) and by adulthood can weigh up to 450 pounds, although typically they weigh around 300 pounds. They can grow to be up to six feet tall from head to foot. They have long, curved ears, a long neck, long legs, and a short tail. Their fur is thick and usually appears reddish brown in color although they can range from white to dark brown and even have spots! They typically live to be about 15 years old but some have lived into their 20s.

Most llamas live in the Andes mountain range at about 3,000 meters above sea level. They eat grasses and leaves and favor plateaus where these are abundant. Their main predators are canids such as coyotes and also large cats. As mentioned before, humans have also had a pretty large impact on their numbers in the past, but today they are prospering. They've even been worshipped as a god and with their recent resurgence in popular media hopefully they'll stick around for awhile.

For more facts on llamas feel free to check out the links in the description below. Let us know which animal you'd like to see covered in the comments. Thank you for watching and be sure to give a thumbs up for more Animal Fact Files!