I think My Lady developed her interest in llamas when we were in Alaska in the mid-80's. No matter when or where, I'm paying for it now.

She met one woman who transported her two, rather large, llamas in a 'van'...remembered as a VW Bus. The animals would step in and, as soon as the vehicle started moving, would lay down (kush). She also knew of a state senator who kept her two llamas in the house...they apparently enjoyed relaxing by the fireplace but then, who doesn't in Alaska?

A possible reason for Zion NP allowing horses but not llamas (hhavel's post) may be because of the horses themselves. It is common for horses to bolt or otherwise react with fear/shock/upset when coming upon a llama. That can cause a lot of problems on a trail, particularly if there's a string of horses. The Zion NP prohibition may be a safety rule. The horse-llama interaction is a recognized problem in this area and My Lady's horse-people friends have asked her to visit with her llamas to condition their horses. Her own horses (yeah...she has them too ) pretty much ignore the llamas and vice versa.

The bad ass llama (billstephenson's post) may be indication of another trait of llamas...they are great herd guardians. They have great success in keeping coyotes, loose/feral dogs and sometimes, wolves at bay.

FB