to know about camelids

2. Presented To,
DR. Md. Ashik-Uz-Zaman
Lecturer of Dept. of Dairy science
The ID of my group members are,
1501038
1501039
1501040
1501042
1501043

3. INTRODUCTION
• The Camelidae family consists of a
small family of mammalian animals.
There are two members of Old World
camels living in Africa and Asia--Arabian
and the Bactrian. There are four
members of the New World camels
living in South America--the llamas,
vicunas, alpacas and guanacos. They
are all very well adapted to their
respective environments
• The camels of old world live in harsh
deserts of Africa and Asia. On the other
hand South American camelids inhabit
the high area and bush area of South
America.

4. Evolution and Distribution
• The earliest camelids evolved in
North America, where they
flourished for fourty to fifty million
years, with the last known North
American camelids disappearing only
around 10,000 years ago.
• Three to four million years ago,
camelids that would give rise to the
current day South American
species spread south across the
Panamanian Land Bridge.
• Because of their their ability to thrive
under tough conditions of extreme
temperature and scarce food and
water, domesticated camelids have
been extremely important to the
development of human cultures in
the steppes of Eurasia, the deserts
of Africa, and the arid Andes of
South America.

5. General character of camelids
• Camelids are large animals with
slender necks and long legs, and
are strictly herbivorous.
• Camelids also have true canine
teeth and tusk-like premolars
which are separated from
the molars by a gap.
• They differ from ruminants in a
number of ways. The have three
chamber of stomach.
• Camelid feet lack functional
hooves, the toe bones being
embedded in a broad cutaneous
pad.
• The camelids have long necks like
the camel, but no humps.

6. Scientific classification of Camelids
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
sub order : Tylopoda (pad-footed)
Superfamily: Cameloidea
Family: Camelidae
Subfamily: Camelinae
Genus: Lama
Species: L. glama, llama
L. pacos, alpaca
L. guanicoe, guanaco
L. vicugna, vicuna

7. There are four groups of South American camelids, each with
its own unique characteristics, which offer fibres that help to
enhance the rich tradition of Peruvian textiles.
They are
1.Alpaca,
2.Llama,
3.Guanaco and
4.Vicuña.
Llama and alpaca are exist as domesticated
animal.
On the other hand guanaco and vicuna are exist as
wild animal

8. Llama
The Llama is the heaviest and largest South American
camelid. Its long legs as well as its prominent and
crooked ears distinguish the llama from the other
camelids.
• Llamas have been domesticated and used as beasts
of burden since Pre-Incan times.
• Some 65% of the world’s Llamas live in the high
plateau region of Bolivia.
• Llamas are still used today by the indigenous peoples
of South America for packing and transporting goods,
fibers, and for meat. Mostly the males are used as
pack animal. They usually carry up to fifty pound
loads.
Reproduction:
Llamas have an unusual reproductive cycle for a large
animal. Female llamas are induced ovulators.Through
the act of mating, the female releases an egg and is
often fertilized on the first attempt. Female llamas do
not go into estrus ("heat")
Behavior:
Llamas, which are well-socialized and trained to halter
and lead after weaning, are very friendly and pleasant
to be around

9. ALPACA
• An alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is
a domesticated species of South
American camelid. It resembles a
small llama in appearance.
• There are two breeds of alpaca; the Suri
alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca.
• Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas,
and unlike llamas, they were not bred to
be beasts of burden, but were bred
specifically for their fiber.
Behavior:
Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family
groups consisting of a territorial alpha male,
females and their young.
Reproduction:
Females are induced ovulators, Females usually
conceive after just one breeding, but
occasionally do have trouble conceiving
A male is usually ready to mate for the first time
between two and three years of age. A
female alpaca may fully mature (physically
and mentally) between 10 and 24 months

10. VICUÑA
• The Vicuña is the smallest and rarest
of the South American camelids, and
is considered to have the finest
animal fibre in the world.
• They are not domesticated and they
known as wild animal.
• Historical chronicles indicate that
Vicuña textiles were reserved for Inca
royalty.
• Because of the quest for its highly
coveted luxurious fiber, the Vicuña
was driven nearly to extinction by the
1960s. Various conservation programs
have ensured survival of the Vicuña,
and this wonderful fibre is once again
available to the textile industry. There
are now approximately 150,000
Vicuñas in South America, about 80%
of which inhabit Peru.

11. GUANACO
• The Guanaco, like the Vicuña, is
a wild camelid that lives in big
groups of males or small bands
of females led by a dominant
male. There are approximately
600,000 Guanacos in South
America and about 80% of them
are found in Patagonia,
Argentina. The extremely high
quality of Guanaco fiber can be
discerned simply by touch.
• Characteristically, its fibre is a
reddish shade. Guanacos are
the only South American
camelid that adapt easily to
different environments. They
can live either at sea level or in
the Andes at altitudes of more
than 4,600 meters (more than
15,000 feet).

12. Conclusions
• Now we come to know that the uses of south
american camelids is well defined.
We have to emphasize more about this camelids
for better production like wool, fiber, fat, etc..

13. THANKS TO ALL