Giant Llama
Hemiauchenia paradoxa
🦙
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Camelidae
Hemiauchenia paradoxa
Hemiauchenia paradoxa, the Giant Llama of South America, was a long-limbed camelid that once strode across the grasslands and dry valleys of the late Pleistocene. Taller and heavier than modern llamas, it was part of the great wave of North American migrants that spread south after the continents connected.
Description
This species was a robust, long-necked grazer with a body plan reminiscent of modern guanacos but considerably larger. Standing up to 2.7 meters tall at the head, it possessed long, slender legs adapted for efficient travel across open terrain. Fossil skulls show a slightly elongated muzzle, high-crowned molars, and a flexible, cleft upper lip suited to browsing shrubs and dry grasses.
Hemiauchenia paradoxa ranged across South America from Argentina and Chile to Peru and Venezuela, thriving in open steppe and montane habitats. It was likely well adapted to seasonal aridity, able to tolerate sparse vegetation and water scarcity — traits inherited from its North American ancestors.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
300
1.3
1.95
2.5
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Grazers
Hunt History
Early human populations in South America almost certainly hunted Hemiauchenia paradoxa. Its large size and herd behavior would have made it a valuable resource for meat and hide. Evidence from late Pleistocene archaeological sites suggests that early hunter-gatherers in Patagonia and the Pampas may have pursued these camelids using stone-tipped spears and coordinated group drives, similar to later guanaco hunts by Indigenous peoples.
Archaeological Evidence:
Laguna de Tagua Tagua, Chile — remains of Hemiauchenia associated with human activity (~12,500 BP).
Pampa de los Fósiles, Peru — abundant fossil camelids indicating herd species thriving in dry upland ecosystems.
Pampas region, Argentina — Pleistocene deposits containing Hemiauchenia paradoxa bones intermixed with Paleoindian tools.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
12000
BP
Late Pleistocene
South America
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
10
kg
Targeted Organs
Hump/backfat, marrow
Adipose Depots
Hump/backfat (when present), visceral; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Hump/backfat
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3