High Altitude Heroes Slides
High Altitude Heroes
The Amazing Adaptations of Llamas
Meet the Llama
Llamas are members of the Camelid family.
They are closely related to:
- Alpacas
- Guanacos
- Vicuñas
- Camels (yes, really!)
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Home in the Clouds
Llamas are native to the Andes Mountains of South America.
Freezing Cold
Temperatures drop way below zero at night.
Thin Air
Less oxygen is available at high altitudes.
Survival here requires special "superpowers" called adaptations!
The Andes Range
Peru, Chile, Bolivia
Built-in Blankets
Thick Woolly Coats
Llamas have long, coarse outer hair and a soft, fine undercoat.
Benefit 1
Traps heat to stay warm during snowy mountain nights.
Benefit 2
Protects skin from intense high-altitude UV rays.
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FLUFFY!
Sure-Footed Climbers
Unlike horses or cows with hard hooves, llamas have soft, leathery pads on the bottom of their feet.
The pads act like hiking boot soles, gripping rocky ledges.
They have two long toes with strong nails for digging into dirt.
Eco-Friendly Feet
Because their feet are soft, they don't damage the fragile mountain plants when they walk!
High Altitude Blood
At 13,000 feet, there is much less oxygen. Most animals would get sick or tired very fast!
More Cells
They have more red blood cells than other mammals.
Oxygen Grip
Their blood is better at "grabbing" oxygen from the air.
Efficiency
This allows them to run and climb without getting winded.
Tough Tummies
Three Chambers
Unlike us, llamas have a three-chambered stomach. This helps them digest dry, woody, and prickly mountain plants.
1
They swallow food quickly.
2
They "regurgitate" (bring it back up) to chew it again as cud.
3
This extracts every bit of nutrition from poor-quality plants.
Llama vs. Alpaca
LLAMA
- Larger (250-450 lbs)
- Tall, Banana-shaped ears
- Used as pack animals (carry heavy loads)
