More impressive than a mythical beast: this is the camel behind the Inca Empire
The Inca civilization, the Maya civilization and the Aztec civilization are known as the three great civilizations of the Americas. After years of warfare, the Incas established, in the Andes with Cusco as its capital, the largest empire in pre-Columbian America - the Inca Empire, whose original name was Tahuantinsuyo, meaning "land of the four quarters." The Incas were called "the Romans of the Americas" and built Machu Picchu on a ridge at an altitude of 2400 m, overlooking the Urubamba Valley; today it has become a must-visit attraction in Peru.
Yet no matter how shifting the light and shadows or how magnificent the architecture, none of it can outshine what steals the show in tourists' photos:the llama. Contrary to what everyone assumes, they are not merely the icing on the cake of this scene, butdeterminethis scene and evenwhether the Inca civilization existed at all。
A llama overlooking the ruins of Machu Picchu. Photo: Thomas Marent / Minden Pictures
It is a llama, not a mythical beast
To tell this story clearly, we must first identify our protagonist - the llama (Lama glama). Many people exclaim "mythical beast" when they see a photo, but this is actually not the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) we know as the mythical beast, but another species, the llama, also called the llama. The llama is twice the size of the alpaca and hastwo large, tall ears; compared with the mythical beast's small ears, it looks a bit more alert and adorably goofy.
Big ears, super handsome! Photo: Mark Taylor / NPL
In fact, animals that look similar to thisnumber four species in South America. Besides the two domesticated species mentioned above, the other two are purely wild: the guanaco (L. guanicoe) and the vicuna (V. vicugna). All four species are artiodactyls in the camel family. Like other camels, they allhave only one pair of upper incisors(and three pairs of lower incisors), and the upper and lower incisors cannot be matched one to one, so they rely on the friction of the lower incisors against the upper gum to shear food.
A scene of mass face blindness. See watermark for image source
Camels originated in North America about 40 million years ago and then migrated to various parts of the world. One branch headed south 3 million years ago across the land bridge between North and South America, arriving in South America and giving rise to the lamoids. Sadly,their place of origin, North America,laterlost all its camels。
The Andes have high altitude, low oxygen, large day-night temperature differences and relatively scarce food, yet the llama has extremely high concentrations of hemoglobin and red blood cells, allowing it to adapt to the environment here.
A llama with a colorful ear tag. Photo: Photo: Mark Taylor / NPL
The founder of the Inca Empire
About 4000 to 5000 years ago, the llama was domesticated by the indigenous Indians of the Andes and became the most important species for local society. Compared with its other three relatives, it had the widest distribution, being found from the highlands to low-altitude coastal areas, and it was large and hardy, so it becamethe only domesticated mammal in the Americas capable of carrying heavy loads。
Compared with the abundance of pack animal species in Asia and Africa (horses, donkeys, cattle, etc.), South America did not have many choices. As it happens, the llama is tall and strong and cancarry loads equivalent to about 1/4 of its own body weight(around 60 kg)walk 30 km with no pressure at all, and its temperament is fairly docile, so it became humanity's good friend. Before the Industrial Revolution, load-bearing animals were crucial to the expansion of a civilization. Whether for transporting goods, building houses or preparing for war, relying on human backs alone would create problems of efficiency and population; other species had to be relied upon.
A llama carrying goods. Photo: Pete Oxford / NPL
However, while the llama is fine with carrying things casually, it refuses to pull a cart. Although the llama's range extends from Ecuador in the north to the southern end of Peru in the south, allowing people in the high Andes to eat fish from the coast, they cannot adapt to hot, humid climates and have difficulty crossing lowland rainforests, and thereforelimited the extent to which the Inca civilization could expand。
A llama carrying silver across the Andes. Photo: Helen Cowie / phys.org
Besides working, the llama also contributed to human civilization with its own body. Although the llama'swoolis not as soft as the vicuna's, compared with sheep's wool it is morefine, dense and thick. It is said that itsmeathas neither the gamy smell of mutton nor the greasiness of pork, and becamean important source of food。
At the same time, the llama was alsoa traditional sacrificial animal; 100 at a time would casually have their throats slit by the Incas as offerings to the gods, becoming an important part of official ceremonies. It can be said that a single llama combined the functions of the horse, cattle and sheep domesticated in Europe.
Llama fetuses sold at the witches' market in Bolivia; they are believed to bring good luck and are sometimes buried under the foundations of houses. Photo: Mark Taylor / Minden Pictures
An empire built on poop
But perhaps something else about the llama played an even more important role. 2700 years ago, the Incas shifted from hunting and gathering to an agricultural life, and were thus able to adapt to high-altitude areas. As a result, the flourishing Inca civilization occupied most of South America, forming the Inca Empire. Within this, there was once an overlooked important element -llama poop. Llamas like to poop in one fixed place, using this method to mark locations and communicate; you could say they come with a built-in fixed defecation spot and communal toilet function. This made it convenient for humans to collect fertilizer from fixed locations, to use for growing crops or as fuel.
So well-behaved. Photo: Nigel Cattlin / FLPA
An archaeological study found that the ability to grow corn at high altitudes benefited from the nourishment of large amounts of llama dung. Corn was introduced to South America from Mexico 5000 years ago, but before fertilizer was used, it was very difficult to grow at high elevations in the Andes. The widespread collection and use of llama dung prompted the Incas to stop relying on wild grains and instead develop an agricultural culture. Being able to grow corn at places as high as 3350 m greatly increased the Incas' energy intake, and thus promoted the formation of the future Inca Empire. In short,an important pillar in the formation of the Inca Empire was llama poop.
Photo: R and M Van Nostrand / FLPA
However, whenthe Spanishset foot in South America, they brought misfortune upon the llama and evenall four species of South American camelids. They were slaughtered in large numbers because of human demand for meat, and were also affected by introduced diseases. In addition, because the Spanish preferred sheep, the llama's previously mature husbandry techniques were suppressed and abandoned, and its population fell by 80% to 90% within 100 years, while the guanaco and vicuna were pushed to the brink of extinction.
A shepherdess spinning wool near a llama. Photo: Daniel Heuclin / Naturepl.com
Only because sheep and the like could not adapt to the high-altitude climate of the Andes did the llama and others ultimately survive. It was not until the 19th century, after the world textile industry rediscovered the fineness and warmth of alpaca wool, that South America once again recognized the importance and uniqueness of these native camelids, began to value the raising of alpacas and llamas, and actively protected the other two species of wildlife that were nearly extinct.
The stubbornness of the llama
Llamas are social animals that like to stick together and find it hard to live alone. A group usually consists of at most 20 individuals, made up of one adult male, about 6 females and their young. This male will constantly watch out for other males and defend his territory. Once challenged, he will enter fighting mode,biting at the limbs and twisting necks together like giraffes, until one side lies on the ground, its neck drooping limply, tail raised in submission.
String your neck and my neck together, braid them into one. Photo: shagbarkridge
This combative, irritable, unruly and hot-tempered nature of the llama also made themguards on par with dogs and donkeys. For some livestock, such as goats or sheep, llamas will automatically treat them as part of the family. If a predator approaches, they will righteously protect their family, standing between the sheep and the predator, looking like a big brother saying, "Whoever dares touch my little sheep brother is picking a fight with me."
A handsome and reliable guard. Photo: Farming with Carnivores Network
Llamas lose their temper at the drop of a hat and alsolove to spit at people; they tilt their necks back and spit a mouthful of phlegm right at you. A fresh mouthful is one thing, but sometimes they spray it together with stomach contents that come back up. A greenish clump of fragments and mucus, accompanied by the llama's disdainful, stubborn gaze.
"Hah, humans." Photo: Pete Oxford / Minden Pictures
This article is the 233rd article of year 4 of Species Calendar, from Species Calendar author @Li Binbin.
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