Alaska Llamas & Outdoors Blog

UPDATE: CNF llama ban has been rescinded.  More at -   Victory! CNF Llama Ban Rescinded Chugach National Forest (CNF) "short circuited" the NEPA process by providing no pubic notice to eliminate commercial use of pack llamas based on a perceived disease threat to wild sheep and goats. Since CNF's ban identifies pack llamas as a disease threat, this opens the door to eliminate them for all uses (including recreational) in the future. The public process was "short circuited" because CNF did not include verbiage that banned llamas in their draft Chugach National Forest Land Management Plan that was open for public comment in 2018.  However, this pack llama ban was added to the Final Chugach National Forest Land Management Plan after the public comment period was over which effectively eliminated comment by the pack llama user group . Now the pack llama user group is faced with protesting the final CNF decision during the objection period. Your comments on p...

The comment/objection (below) was made by Alaska Llamas (Phil) to Chugach National Forest (CNF) llama ban.  Linda's comment/objection can be viewed (along with comments/objections posted so far) in the CNF Reading Room at this link:  CNF Reading Room. Go here to see the letter of objection by Pack Animal Magazine: Editor's Letter of Objection to CNF - Pack Animal Magazine . _______________________________________________________________________________ By this comment I am providing formal notice of objection to the Final Chugach National Forest Land Management Plan (signed by Jeff E. Schramm, Forest Supervisor) during the 60 day objection period beginning approximately August 30, 2019. I strongly object to the "final" Chugach National Forest Land Management Plan (CNFLMP) restrictions/prohibitions on pack llamas because llamas do NOT pose a disease threat and should not be banned or restricted for any use within the Chugach National Forest (CNF). In the following...

Frequently Asked Question: What mineral supplementation do llamas require? See this ILR publication pages 12 - 13.   ILR Brochure #6 - Feeding Camelids

I'm often asked, "What's the difference between llamas and alpacas?" At first glance, llamas may look similar to their camelid cousin the alpaca, but there are a number of differences between these two South American animals. Their ears: Llamas have much longer, banana-shaped ears Alpaca ears have short spear-shaped ears Their size: Alpacas generally weigh in at around 150 pounds while llamas can get as heavy as 400 pounds. At the shoulder, an average alpaca stands between 34 and 36 inches, while a llama generally ranges between 42 and 46 inches. Their faces: Llamas have a longer face; an alpaca’s face is a bit more blunt, giving them a “smooshed in” look. Their purpose: For more than 5,000 years alpacas have been bred for fiber (and in Peru for meat as well), while llamas have been bred for the same amount of time as pack animals and meat. Their hair: The alpaca produces a much finer fiber than the llama. The alpaca also produces more fleece than its la...

This is a frequently asked question (FAQ). Llamas and alpacas are members of the camelid family of mammals. It is believed that camelids originated in North America at least 40 million years ago and then migrated to South America and Asia about 3 million years ago, before the American and Asian continents separated at Alaska. One of the oldest camelid fossils was discovered in Florida and fossil skeletons of camelids very similar to today's alpacas and llamas have also been found in the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles, California. It's speculated that camelids become extinct from North America during the ice age.

The  Alaska Department of Fish and Game's (ADFG) June 11, 2018 letter states that ADFG "has no intentions to promote or support limiting the use of South American camelids on public land in the state of Alaska." The ADFG letter is in response to a May 3, 2018 letter by the Greater Appalachian Llama and Alpaca Association (on behalf of the North American llama industry) seeking clarification of ADFG's role regarding the recently published "Risk Assessment on the Use of South American Camelids for Back Country Trekking in British Columbia" (RA). This is very good news in light of concerns of disease (most recently M.ovi) potentially being transmitted from domestic animals to wild animal populations. See ADFG Press Release for the latest - Alaska Caribou Death - ADF&G Press Release  Visit  packllamas.org for the most comprehensive information concerning llamas on public lands and a commentary by the North American llama industry. This website was dev...