Llamas seem to have an excellent time here at the Debrecen Zoo – judging from the fact that, a mere month since the Easter arrival, there is yet another new member to the family.
Born right in front of our visitors four days ago, the little black-and-white calf is now strong and healthy thanks to his caring parents. While he loves to play around with his one-month-old brother, he still spends quite a lot of time resting in the shade of trees. Since llamas live in groups consisting of a stud and his females, the little male will have to move away once he becomes fertile – for the summer, however, he will definitely remain a part of his family of now seven in our Llama Enclosure.
Originally from the bushy grasslands of South America, llamas (Lama glama) are the largest New World camelids. They are very friendly and social animals with a rather expressive body language, lifting their ears upright and relaxing their tail when calm and having their ears back when they sense danger. Contrary to popular belief, they only spit on each other, mostly as a show of dominance. Our llamas are absolutely visitor-friendly in this regard and, even within their family, they hardly ever resort to spitting as a means of communication.
Source and photos: press release – Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
