Thanks to internet stardom and petting zoos, most people know about these South American camelids – and their spitting habit. To deploy this defensive mechanism, a llama or alpaca regurgitates its stomach contents and propels the mixture up to 10m.
Why do llamas and alpacas spit?
Spitting is mostly used as a warning to other members of the same species. A female llama may spit at a male during the breeding season to repel his advances.
An alpaca may warn a fellow herd member away if it thinks they might be about to steal its food. Males also use spitting as part of their repertoire of fighting moves when competing for females.
Like us, llamas and alpacas have different personalities, and the grumpier individuals are the most likely to spit. There are tell-tale warning signs auguring an outburst. First, the animal will flatten back its ears or aggressively puff air from its nostrils.
If you still haven’t got the hint, it will likely tip its chin back while leaning forward. This is your final chance to clear the area – in the next second or two, you might be covered with a foul-smelling mixture of gastric juice and undigested plant material.
Why were llamas and alpacas domesticated?
Llamas and alpacas, both camelids, were first hunted for their meat and hides and later domesticated by early huntergatherers of the Americas, over 5,000 years ago. Alpacas were selectively bred for their high-quality wool, still sought after today, while llamas were used as pack animals, with their coarser, shaggier wool fit only for commoners in early Incan society. AL
