Known for their haughty demeanour, woolly charm and propensity to spit when threatened, llamas have had a rich and varied history. Since their domestication high in the Andes, they have been sacrificed, farmed, smuggled and petted. They have functioned at different times as luxury commodities, literary muses and national symbols and have served as beasts of burden, circus performers and even golf caddies. This book charts the history of llamas and their close relatives, alpacas, guanacos and vicunas. Venerated by the Incas, llamas are still cherished in their native Peru and Bolivia, and remain central to Andean culture. After several unsuccessful acclimatization attempts in the nineteenth century, llamas and alpacas have also become popular pets in Britain, North America and Australia, where they are used for trekking, meat and wool production and as therapy animals. Llama recounts the llama's colourful history and explores the animals' presence in art, literature and film. Packed with llama drama and alpaca facts, Llama shows that there's much more to llamas than spitting.

About the Author
Helen Cowie is Lecturer in History at the University of York. She is the author of Conquering Nature in Spain and its Empire, 1750-1850 (2011) and Exhibiting Animals in Nineteenth-century Britain: Empathy, Education, Entertainment (2014).


Book Information
ISBN 9781780237381
Author Helen Cowie
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Reaktion Books
Publisher Reaktion Books