Hello equus
Thanks for an interesting question.
Once you manage to get away from all the US llama ranch sites, there
is a reasonable amount of information about llamas in Bolivia,
including academic studies, reports of work by aid agencies, and
travelers' journals with attractive photographs.
Although Bolivia has more llamas than the other Andean plateau
countries, some articles and sites do of course deal with Chile and
Peru as well. Similarly, there is some material on the other camelids,
especially alpacas, mixed in with information on llamas. (I hadn't
seen the word 'camelid' more than a few times in my life before but it
is obviously needed to describe the animal family to which llamas
belong!)
I've gathered links as you asked and included excerpts to make things
more readable.
There's a useful introduction at the Bolivia Export site:
"The Llama and the Alpaca are both domesticated animals and have been
for centuries, the Llamas are used as pack animals, the wool for the
production of fiber for rugs , blankets and ropes, the meat is
pleasant to eat and cholesterol free [ . . ] Llama dung is still used
extensively in the Andes as fuel for warming and cooking due to its
very high calorific value. "
About Llamas
http://www.boliviaexport.com/llamas/about.htm
"Llamas were indispensable to the Inca military campaigns in the
building of their empire for the transport of food and supplies, which
expanded in proportion with the number of animals available. They were
equally important to the development of their agricultural activities
along the length and width of the conquered territories.
During the Spanish conquest and the period of the colony, the llama
also had its importance."
History of Llamas
http://www.boliviaexport.com/llamas/history.htm
Bolivian Llama Exports
http://www.boliviaexport.com/llamas/export.htm
http://www.boliviaexport.com/llamas/investment.htm
===================
"Bolivia is the country with the largest number of llamas in the
world. Almost all of the two million animals are bred in small family
herds, grazing exclusively on wild pastures. The llamas are part of
the life strategy of these poor peasant families; they are a means of
transport, they provide meat, their manure is used as fertiliser and
fuel, and their wool for garments and similar articles."
Improving llama production in Bolivia
Leisa Magazine April 2002
http://www.ileia.org/2/18-1/22-23.PDF
(You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read this. It can be downloaded
here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/ )
===================
From the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization:
"At 4,000 m. above sea level, the semi-deserts of Bolivia's altoplano
support an estimated two million examples of the camel's Andean
counterpart, the llama. Like the camel, it is highly resistant to
drought and well adapted to poor quality native pastures. "The Andean
domestic camelids are multipurpose animals," says World animal review.
"They are exploited for production of meat, which is widely consumed
in rural and urban areas. Pastoralist families use its dung as a
source of domestic fuel, and its fibres for making clothes, rope and
bags." But the llamas' greatest service in the Bolivian Andes is as
transport: in caravans of 30 to 300 animals, they carry produce of the
altoplano to markets in the lowland valleys, and return loaded with
food products unavailable locally.
Llamas are put to work as pack animals at age three - castrated males
are preferred - and continue working until age nine. Caravans are led
by experienced males, called delanteros, who are less likely to be
frightened by the sight of predators (e.g. pumas, condors) that often
create stampedes among less expert members of the pack. Loaded with an
average of 30 to 40 kg per animal - although some support weights of
more than 50 kg - llama caravans usually cover 20 km in a six to eight
hours.
On the downward journey, llamas are most likely to be carrying salt -
much sought after in lowland areas - as well as dried and salted meat
(charque), the pseudocereal quinua, and chuño, a powder made from
dried potato. These products are traded in lowland markets for maize,
tubers, dried beans, fruit and sugar. The round trip can take up to
three months, and the return journey is particularly debilitating,
owing to both the steep climb and the declining seasonal availability
of forage. In fact, a pack llama can lose up to 20% of its live weight
before finally reaching its home pastures."
UN FAO: About camels and llamas
http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0108sp.htm
There is a considerable amount of further information from the FAO in
Spanish. This is the English abstract of the document:
"The domesticated camelids of the Andean mountain system, particularly
the llama, play an important role in the trade and transport of basic
necessities between human settlements in the inter-Andean valleys
(2200 to 3200 masl) and those in the high Andes (over 3 200 masl).
This role, a traditional mainstay of Andean farming, has declined
sharply in regions where the agro-ecological situation has benefited
from roads and faster means of transport. This article examines the
camelids'habitat in Bolivia, their use as pack animals and their
distribution. It also examines training and handling during trade
caravans, the problems that arise and the common routes followed."
The role of camelids as pack animals in the Bolivian Andes
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGa/AGAP/WAR/warall/W0613b/w0613b08.htm#TopOfPage
The full article is here:
La función de los camélidos como medio de transporte e intercambio en
la región andina de Bolivia
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGa/AGAP/WAR/warall/W0613b/w0613b07.htm#TopOfPage
I put the page through Google's automatic translator, which is usually
enough to see which sections are of particular interest to you. Please
let me know if you would like help translating any particular part of
this document:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fao.org%2Fag%2FAGa%2FAGAP%2FWAR%2Fwarall%2FW0613b%2Fw0613b07.htm%23los%2520cam%25E9lidos%2520dom%25E9sticos%2520en%2520bolivia&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools
Unfortunately the automatic translator can't cope with such a long
article all at once and you may want to feed in more:
://www.google.co.uk/language_tools?hl=en
===================
"Llamas have historically been used for their high protein meat,
transporting goods along the Incan mountain roads, and in religious
rituals. Alpaca fur is a finer fiber, and therefore alpacas have been
historically been used for their fiber. Both llamas and alpacas
decreased [as] Bolivian sheep herds gained predominance. The resulting
degradation of topsoil in the altiplano region is a problem that has
been more visible and publicized in the past few years, but its roots
extend back 400 years."
The Introduction of Sheep Into Bolivia's Camelid Herding Industry
http://www.american.edu/TED/CAMELID.HTM
===================
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has
sponsored llama-related projects in Bolivia.
"The project is expected to benefit 15 000 families of camelid
breeders, artisans and small-scale entrepreneurs, who are among the
poorest segments of the population in Bolivia. Thanks to the project,
these families are expected to increase their incomes significantly
and to improve their productive capacity. Direct project beneficiaries
comprise some 12 950 peasant families; the remaining 2 050 families
will receive technical assistance (TA) and credit for
commercial/processing activities."
Camelid Producers Development Project in the Andean High Plateau
http://www.ifad.org/lrkm/region/pl/bo_354.htm
"It is estimated that 52,000 families in Bolivia are involved in
raising more than 2 million llamas. Annually, they deliver
approximately 246,000 animals for meat. Bolivian cultural heritage
associates this animal with the native population, and for centuries
this stereotype devalued its use. Nowadays it is a product subject to
the dynamics of the market, where peasant families encounter biased
trade practices. Despite the excellent nutritional quality of this
meat, its price is still low. This situation is due not only to
socio-cultural prejudices but also to how the product is presented in
the market."
Project co-financed by IFAD and Association of Producers and Traders
of Camelidae Meat Producers (ACOPROCCA)
International Fund for Agricultural Development 2001 report
http://www.ifad.org/ngo/ecp/2001/bolivia.htm
===================
"Llama (Lama glama) traditionally used as a pack animal. Similar to
cashmere goats in having a double-coat, the undercoat consists of fine
fibres and this is covered by an outercoat of coarse guard hairs.
Modern dehairing processes can separate the finer fibres from the
coarse hair. Most of the world’s llama population is to be found in
Bolivia (about 2.5 million animals with almost one million used for
fibre production). There are two distinct breeds; the kcara (light
fleece) most commonly used as a beast of burden and the chaku (heavy
fleece) used as the main source of llama fibre for textiles. While
modern transportation has reduced the importance of the llama as a
beast of burden emphasis is now being placed on using this animal as a
source of fibre and meat."
South American Camelids
http://fungus.org.uk/camelids.htm
===================
" . . llama and alpaca husbandry is an important economic factor for
the South American countries Bolivia and Peru, in some regions also
for Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. Nevertheless, so far there was no
emphasis put on improving the breeding of these species. The fibres
are textile raw materials which can only be used in high quality
products of the clothing industry as basis material. This quality can
not be assured at any time which does not improve the image of the
fibre. The aim of this research project is to investigate and to
evaluate the potential of fibre production in the high Andes of
Bolivia. This will lead to strategies to improve breeding and
marketing.
Perspectives of fibre production with llamas in Bolivia - potential
and development of strategies for optimised marketing
http://www.uni-hohenheim.de/i3ve/00217110/02280041.htm
===================
"Women weave their llamas' fleece into warm clothing to wear or sell.
They load them up with goods for market and trek with them across
rugged slopes at high altitudes. As they travel, llamas' padded feet
don't damage the fragile terrain and their selective browsing doesn't
destroy sparse vegetation.
Llamas and their kin, the alpaca, provide Heifer families with
invaluable sources of transportation, income and wool, which is prized
for making blankets, ponchos, carpet and rope.
Llamas are remarkably disease resistant and require little care; they
can carry small loads for distances over rugged slopes at high
altitudes."
Gift of a LLama
http://catalog.heifer.org/llama.cfm
===================
"Luis Ticona, who grew up poor in a rural Aymara Indian community just
outside of La Paz, exports for indigenous llama and alpaca herders in
the Andean highlands."
"For Herman Choque, an Aymara llama and alpaca herder in Bolivia’s
Oruro province for more than 30 years, the time has come for millions
of native producers to reach new markets, something declining tariffs
from free trade deals and fair trade networks facilitate."
Latin Trade: The Sweet Spot
http://www.latintrade.com/newsite/content/archives.cfm?TopicID=7&StoryID=1951
===================
US-Bolivia trade including llama products discussed by:
Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade, 5-08-01
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=+site:waysandmeans.house.gov++bolivia+trade+llama+OR+camelids
===================
Journal of a film-maker making documentary about llama herding:
"We headed south, ever climbing, back to 16,000 feet into the
Cordillera de Lípez, stopping only for a brief moment at Quetana and
the other at the rare villages. It is a region too high for
agriculture, inhabited only by Quechua pastoralists who maintain their
llama herds and trade llama products for what they need for them and
their families to survive. It is always cold, but the villages are of
stark but clean buildings of thick adobe with grass-thatched roofs.
Everywhere are llamas, their ears festooned with ribbons. Even in the
most remote places we saw temporary shacks used by the herders, always
with llamas not far away.. . .
[A herder] described all the ways that llamas interacted with the
family. He told of dropping llama dung on the shrine of “The Virgin”
(who is in reality the Pachamama) as an offering."
http://www.kuat.org/thedesertspeaks/journal/2002-bolivia/02-0531-bolivia.shtml
Another page of the journal has some snippets on llamas:
http://www.kuat.org/thedesertspeaks/journal/2002-bolivia/02-0526-bolivia.shtml
===================
"As a pack animal, the 250 pound llama can carry approximately 40
pounds over 20 miles per day. Today, native people of Bolivia, Peru,
Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina still herd llamas, which are used
primarily for their wool. Llamas are gentle by nature, but if they are
mistreated they can react by hissing, spitting, kicking and refusing
to move. Llamas breed in the late summer and fall, which in the
Southern Hemispheric is around November to December. Llamas gestate
for 11 months before giving birth to a single cria."
http://www.studyspanish.com/comps/llama.htm
===================
"Llamas and alpacas were first domesticated by the ancestors of the
Incas. Although llamas are incapable of carrying heavy loads, they
make life easier for these women. Like third world nations everywhere,
the quest for fuel is endless."
Journal with photo
http://bolivia.freeservers.com/photo1a.html
A llama can carry a family out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.
http://www.altgifts.org/19.htm
History of the Llama
http://www.llamapack.com/text/history.html
Last of the Llama Treks
Story and photographs by Victor Englebert
A few caravanners still haul salt for barter across Bolivia´s frozen
highlands
http://www.nwf.org/internationalwildlife/2000/llama.html
Alan Tillman - llama breeder and importer from Bolivia
http://www.coloredsurialpacas.com/about.htm
One last academic article:
Degradability of Andean range forages in llamas and sheep
Didier Genin and Muriel Tichit
"Authors are range scientist and graduate student, Institut Francais &
Recherche Scientifique pour le Developpement en Cooperation (ORSTOM),
.P. 9214,- La Paz, Bolivia."
available to read online at:
http://jrm.library.arizona.edu/data/1997/504/381-385_genin.pdf
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
===================
As I searched, I picked out photographs I came across, but this image
search will lead you to many more:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=+llamas+bolivia&meta=&sa=N&tab=wi
pictures of wild and domesticated llamas
http://fungus.org.uk/supreme/sajama.htm
several small photos
http://www.boliviaweb.com/postcards/llamas.htm
1940 llama photo and Bolivian llama flock in 1910 (scroll down)
http://www.smartt.com/~brianp/trivia18.html
2 llamas
http://www.cinemascope.com/photos/bolivia/12.2.html
llama family
http://www.cinemascope.com/photos/bolivia/10.2.html
biking with llamas
http://www.biketrip.org/pix.php?PicId=11
traveler's photo
http://www.vic.com/bolivia/images/condoriri/llamas.jpg
llama herd
http://www.murple.net/bolivia/pix/tn/llamas.jpg.html
Bolivian rock art, 2-3000 years old, depicting llamas in an area still
supporting 500 llamas owned by 70 families
http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/bolivia/calacala.html
===================
I hope you'll find this information interesting and useful, but please
don't hesitate to get back to me if you need any further help with it.
Just ask for clarification and I'll do my best to assist.
Regards - Leli
search terms:
Bolivia llamas
Bolivia camelids
Bolivia llamas trade
Bolivia llamas history
Bolivia llamas breeding
Bolivia llamas fiber |
