Andes - Blog Posts

by Leonid Plotkin on Flickr.Laguna Cejas with Licancabur Volcano in the background, Chile.

Laguna de Los Tres & Mount Fitz Roy - Patagonia, Argentina.

Alpaca The beginnings of the Alpaca is more related to the Vicuña but it has been recently breed with Llamas. It’s domestication is been happening for thousand years and contrary to the Llama who was domesticated as a working animal and wool provider, the Alpaca is been domesticated exclusively for its wool, which can be used extensively.

As common as it is now, the Alpaca was at the brick of the extinction in the 1500′s when the Spanish discovered America. They decimated the species at the point that it was believed extinct. However, the animal move to higher altitudes, where later, in the XIX century was rediscovered. As a domestic animal, today can be seen everywhere in the world. It’s domestication and maintenance is not difficult.

The differences between the two breeds are remarkably visible.

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Unlike the horses, this time is different. If Asia has camels as war machines, South America has its equivalent: The Llama.

I don’t think there is any other animal that involves cultural symbolism, evolution of a civilization and an inexhaustible source as the Lama for the Inca culture. This animal was vital in the bloomed of Inca’s civilization.

Its wool made them capable to conquer highs that were unthinkable in any other way, not just because its endurance but because its wool that protect Incas from the freezing temperatures. 

Regarded also as a noble symbol, Incas were often buried with llamas and one of it’s Gods, Urcuchillay, was depicted as a Llama. 

Probably it’s only enemy are the pumas, making this animal, as the camel, an infalible machine against nature. Studying this family made think of how hard can be for life to thrive in certain conditions. It makes feel as is nature is really testing its inhabitants in a fearfully battle for survival, where the loser, the one that cannot adapt will be invariably, extinct.

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