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A new Minnesota Zoo exhibit highlighting native South American animals opens Saturday and runs through Labor Day weekend. 

 features 20 llamas roaming freely alongside visitors in the zoo's Northern Trail. While the exhibit is free with regular zoo admission, visitors ages 1 and older can purchase an extra ticket to walk llamas on a leash along a designated trail. 

The llamas are on loan from Carlson's Llovable Llamas farm in Waconia, Minn. The exhibit also features guinea pigs roaming in an exhibit modeled after Peru's Machu Picchu and large flightless birds called rheas.

Llamas are related to camels and alpacas. The domesticated herd animals live in the Andes mountain region along the west coast of South America in the countries of Peru, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

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Christine T. Nguyen

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No, the llamas are not in red pajamas. But you can see them in a new exhibit highlighting native South American animals beginning Saturday through Labor Day weekend. It also features guinea pigs and large flightless birds called rheas.

Jude and Jameson Larsen, 4, and their sister Amelia, 9, watch llamas roam.

Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News

The 20 llamas are on loan from Carlson's Loveable Llamas in Waconia.

Llama fleece consists of an outer coat and an insulating undercoat.

Kristen Strohsack, 9, of the Carver County 4H walks a llama.

Llamas are related to alpacas but are larger and have longer faces.

Llamas are domesticated South American herd animals.

Jim Sanford, assistant curator of Llama Trek, walks a llama.

A llama peeks through a structure at the Minnesota Zoo.

The llama Trek features 20 llamas roaming freely alongside visitors.

Photos: MN Zoo offering llamas unleashed (and leashed, if you want)

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