Llama and Mama in Brush Prairie

A day-old llama gets his first impressions of the world Friday at the Rock’n R Llamas farm in Brush Prairie. His mom, Jamaica, stood careful guard as the baby, called a cria, took some wobbly steps. According to Oklahoma State University, lamas were domesticated from guanacos in the Andean Highlands of Peru 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, and are among the oldest domestic animals in the world. Though their origins can be traced to South America, they are popular with North American hobbyists. There are about 400 llamas in Clark County, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture.