On the Shelf

Year of Camelids

As I noted in this column in the December 7, 2023 issue of The Mountain Messenger, 2024 has been designated by the United Nations as the Year of Camelids. What exactly are camelids, and what does this all mean? Let’s take a gander at the subject.

In the resolution (72/210) adopted by the U.N. General Assembly on December 20, 2017, we find these details: “…camelids are strictly herbivorous, even-toed ungulate mammals that first appeared in America 45 million years ago…there are six living species of camelids, namely, dromedary camels, Bactrian camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos, in North Africa, South-West and Central Asia, Oceania and South America…camelids constitute the main means of subsistence for millions of poor families that live in the most hostile ecosystems on the planet, and…they contribute to the fight against hunger, the eradication of extreme poverty, the empowerment of women and the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems…camelids are a main source of protein, fibre for clothes and fertilizer for agricultural production, and…they serve as pack animals, transporting people and products in indigenous communities throughout South America’s extensive Andean highlands, as well as in deserts in Africa and Asia…camelids can play a key role in addressing the effects of climate change, in particular in arid and semi-arid lands, and…recognition, advocacy and support for the promotion of the products and services that they provide is of paramount importance for the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them…”

For those of a scientific, zoological mind, here is the scientific classification of camelids: domain - Eukaryota; kingdom - Animalia; phyulum - Chordata; class - Mammalia; order - Artiodactyla; suborder - Tylopoda; superfamily - Cameloidea; family - Camelidae. In fact, camelids are the only currently living family in the suborder Tylopoda. As members of the order Artiodactyla, they are included with other species including whales, pigs, deer, cattle, and antelopes.

Picking up on a couple of key words from the U.N. resolution might be helpful to our understanding of camelids. “Herbivorous” means that they are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material for the main component of their diet. As a result of their plant diet, they have mouthparts adapted to rasping or grinding. The term “ungulate” means, roughly, “being hoofed” or “hoofed animal”. However, camelids do not have hooves; instead, they have two-toed feet with toenails and soft foot pads (“Tylopoda” is Greek for “padded foot”). Many fossil camelids were probably hooved, in contrast to all living species.

In the walking gait of camelids, both legs on the same side of the body are moved simultaneously. While running, camelids engage a unique “running pace gait” in which limbs on the same side move in the same pattern they walk, with both left legs moving and then both right, ensuring that the fore and hind limb will not collide while in fast motion. During this motion, all four limbs are momentarily off the ground at the same time. Consequently, camelids large enough for humans to ride have a typical swaying motion.

Adult camelids range in weight from approximately 77 lbs (35 kg) for the vicuña to 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) for the Bactrian camel. The life span of camelids varies, with alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas in the 15-25 year range, guanacos up to 28 years, and camels at 40-50 years.

Banishing Words for 2025

A couple of columns ago, I reported on the words and phrases that the English Department of Lake Superior State University “banished” for 2024. I noted that the annual list derives from nominations that come from people around the world. However, I didn’t have room in that column to give you the details of how you could submit words and/or phrases for banishment. Let me do that here:

You can find the entry form for words to banish in 2025 at https://www.lssu.edu/entry-form-for-lssu-banished-words-list/. The form asks for the word or term to banish, the reason for banishment, and your personal information. The deadline for submission is 8:00 a.m. EST (5:00 AM PST) on November 1, 2024. So, you now have roughly ten months to decide which words are just driving you crazy and that you would like to see banished. Have fun!