Llamas have Finns: Flickr photo of the day

Michael Clemmer

Okay, so you thought llamas were South American animals, right? Well, here’s the scoop: they are, but now some lucky llamas are learning Finnish. Llamas have an interesting history; they originated on the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago. Over the following millennia their herds moved south, staying ahead of the coming Ice Age. Smart move! Had they stuck around there would be no más llamas.

Llamas are friendly beasts of burden and if you don’t freak out when they spit at you, you might find a sweet companion. They only spit when they are alarmed or unsure, so just chill and soon you will experience lots of llama love.

In 2002, Pirkko Kivikari and Tommi Ylitalo brought the first llamas to Finland. Since then llamas have become quite popular. A cool bar in Helsinki is named Bar Llamas. 

This budding love affair was photographed in Konijänkä Animal Park, in Yalläs-Äkäslompolo, Lapland, Finland.

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Photo by Birdrock Avenue.