AT THE RANCH Walking confidently on slender legs the baby llama sniffed the fresh morning air As she followed her mother across the field the other llamas gathered around her They were eager to inspect the newest member of their herd The new baby’s name was Gypsy It had been given to her by the owners of the ranch in northern California where she had been born For the first few days of her life Gypsy had been kept in the barn with her mother There it was quiet and the owners could make sure Gypsy was getting enough to eat But now at the age of five days Gypsy was ready to join the herd 3
Gypsy and the 60 other llamas on the ranch are among more than 12,000 llamas now living in North America About 100 years ago people began exporting them to the United States from their native land of South America Today there are llamas in every state and in Canada They can be seen in zoos and are raised as pets for their wool and to carry gear for hikers People like llamas because they are gentle and good-natured easy to care for and with training can become friendly and affectionate From the time of her birth Gypsy’s owners handled her regularly so that even though she lived with other llamas she would become used to being around people too 5
