Selena Llama

Honoring animals

Arriving at a lodging and finding a llama waiting for the traveler to cheer him up is -without a doubt- quite an anecdote.

That was the case of Selena. A white llama that lives in the Coquena Refuge, in Purmamarca.

I got tired of calling her, but hidden in the back of her yard, she did not deign to appear. That is until I stopped paying attention to her. Then, she mischievously approached me to even throw a few rough kisses on my neck. I checked that her big teeth were well sharpened, thanks to the fact that "the alpha", i.e. the alfalfa, was always ready and waiting in her basket.

Selena was having a lot of fun. However, as a "mea culpa" when traveling the roads of Abra Pampa or Cochinoca in Jujuy, not as busy as Route 9 of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a reflection arose.

There were a lot of llamas and guanacos spotted by chance on the trails; free, fearless and elusive, they left shooting as soon as I approached them.

It is well known that, as a result of the pandemic, the animals returned to their territories lost to large urbanizations, but witnessing it in person was quite a lesson. Therefore, when traveling on the roads of northwestern Argentina, be very careful, because an auquenid (South American camelids) may appear at the least expected moment. And be very careful! Due to lack of habit they can easily get scared and cross in front of the car.