Ox Llama

The Ox Llama, Vicugna Viribus, is a camelid native to south and western Meridia, closely related to other Meridian camelids such as alpacas and llamas. The ox llama is much broader and larger than its llama cousin, standing at 5.5 feet at the shoulders, and up to 7 feet at the head. Their necks are not as long in proportion to the length of llamas or alpacas. Vicugna Viribus are not adapted to mountain life, but rather are found on the plains of Patagonia or the Atacama. But what is incredible about this animal is not just their unique physiology among camelids, but the important role they played in building the Inca civilization and other civilizations in pre-Colombian Meridia. The Ox Llama’s back is considerably stronger than that of most camelids, meaning it could be used as a beast of burden for pre-Colombian peoples. For example, the Inca would bring ox llamas up into the mountains to plow terraced farms, but this would often prove difficult for the animal. There exists two subspecies of ox llama: Vicugna Viribus Vrachodis, which are native to the Atacama desert, and have a redder color and slightly smaller build, and Vicugna Viribus Superior, the more common of the two and native to Patagonia. Today, ox llamas are still used as livestock, although they are not as popular as cattle.