A llama love affair

The New York Times ran an article yesterday entitled, "The Llama Is In," reporting that the popularity of llamas as pets in the United States has grown so much that there are now 115,000 of these Andean transplants living on American soil. But aside from that and a few other hard facts, the article could really be better described as a 1,700-word ode to llamas, chock-full of quotes such as, "I can't envision life without llamas." Various American llama owners described their pets as "dogs" (they are your friend), "potato chips" (it's hard to stop at just a few), or "walking lawn ornaments" (no explanation needed). Others told how "framed photos of their pet llamas hang over the fireplace alongside photos of their grandchildren."

Peru, one of the original homes of these fluffy camelids, is estimated to have somewhere between 300,000 and 3,000,000 llamas - clearly there's an opportunity here for a more accurate llama census. However, I'm willing to bet that you will not find a single picture of a pet llama framed over a Peruvian fireplace. While Americans and Peruvians appear to gain some of the same benefits from their llamas (high-fiber fur, natural fertilizer, weight-carrying), the Peruvians seem to focus much more on the practical side. In contrast, according to the article, it is not uncommon for U.S. llama owners to shampoo and groom their pets before proudly presenting them at a llama show (similar to a dog show). In Peru there are town agricultural fairs that include contests for the best cows, pigs, llamas, etc., but there's a difference: no Peruvian buys or raises a llama with the sole purpose of showing off how pretty it is. Top prize at the town fair is just a nice bonus to add onto all the other value the llama brings the farmer's household.

I would love to translate that article for a Peruvian campesino, if only to watch confusion spread over his face as his sturdy pack animals are lauded for their "huge, beguiling eyes" and ability to "steal your heart." It's fascinating how our two cultures can reap so many of the same advantages from the llama - we're all agreed they can make one of the coziest sweaters in town - while still approaching them from two such contrasting perspectives.

Alpacas (the llama's close cousins) grazing on the Peruvian altiplano