Congrats mama llama! Minnesota Zoo welcomes new addition

The zoo now has 20 adults llamas and two crias — that's what the babies are called.

A baby llama looks into the camera
The Minnesota Zoo welcomed a new baby llama to its Llama Trek exhibit on Sunday. The latest addition means the exhibit now has 22 llamas total.
Courtesy of the Minnesota Zoo

She was a little late to the party, but on Sunday the Minnesota Zoo gladly welcomed a new addition to their Llama Trek exhibit.

The newborn llama, called a cria, was nearly a month overdue — and apparently that was the mother’s choice.

Pregnant llamas have the ability to delay delivery, often extending the 11-month gestation period to wait for nice weather and a safe place to give birth, the zoo said in a press release.

The new female cria, who hasn’t been given a name yet, is the second one born this year.

The zoo also shared a few interesting llama facts:

  • A cria can walk almost immediately after birth

  • A mother llama and her cria will hum to each other as a way to bond

  • A cria typically weighs around 20 pounds at birth

  • A full-grown llama can weigh up to 400 pounds, with its head reaching up to 6 feet tall

A baby llama
The new baby llama at the Minnesota Zoo
Courtesy of the Minnesota Zoo

Both the mother, named Calypso, and the new baby are doing well, the zoo reported, and will join the rest of the 22 llamas in the exhibit soon.

In the meantime, they shared this video so you can have a sneak peek:

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.