Llama [Paperback]

Known for their woolly charm, sure-footed strength, and a propensity to spit at you if you bother them too much, llamas have had a rich and diverse history. Since their domestication high in the Andes, they have been farmed, smuggled, sacrificed, and sometimes kept around just to be petted. They have functioned at different times as luxury commodities, literary muses, and national symbols, and they have served by turns as beasts of burden, circus performers, and even golf caddies. In this book, Helen Cowie charts the fascinating history of llamas and their close relatives, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas.

Cowie illustrates how deeply the Incas venerated llamas and shows how the animals are still cherished in their native lands in Peru and Bolivia, remaining central to Andean culture. She also tells the story of attempts to introduce llamas and alpacas to Britain, the United States, and Australia, where they are used today for trekking, wool production, and even as therapy animals.

Packed with llama drama and alpaca facts, this book will delight animal lovers, fans of natural history, and anyone who just can’t resist these inimitable animals’ off-the-charts cuteness factor.

Helen Cowieis a lecturer in history at the University of York. She is the author ofConquering Nature in Spain and Its Empire, 1750–1850andExhibiting Animals in Nineteenth-Century Britain.
 

"Llamabeautifully weaves together the anthrozoology and cultural history of four South American camelids—the domesticated llamas and alpacas and their respective wild counterparts, the guanacos and vicuñas—with their biology and evolution. From the use of camelids by indigenous peoples for wool, meat, and transport to these animals’ modern-day participation as golf caddies, therapy animals, and wedding-day mascots in the United States, the narrative Cowie tells is at once swlƒz