原驼，冰川国家公园，阿根廷 Guanacos in Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia, Argentina (© Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott/Minden Pictures)

原驼，冰川国家公园，阿根廷 Guanacos in Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia, Argentina (© Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott/Minden Pictures)

出逃的美洲鸵 Llamas on the loose

国家美洲驼日

穿上登山鞋出门吧，因为今天是国家美洲驼日！12月9日是专门用来欣赏这些聪明且可驯化的动物的日子。您需要到安第斯山脉去看看它们那被称为原驼的野生表亲。据说，原驼起源于约4000万年前的北美中部平原。不过，它们逐渐迁移到了南美洲，在公元前4500年左右被驯化，并获得了美洲鸵的称号。

在今天的图片中，展示了在阿根廷的洛斯格拉兹阿勒冰川国家公园内自由漫步的原驼，它们有着深肉桂色的羊毛和卡通般的面孔。尽管它们外表可爱，但有时也会带点粗鲁在身上：原驼和美洲驼都会通过吐口水来维护自己在种群中的统治地位和阻止同类的入侵。不过，不要因此而放弃参加有组织的美洲驼徒步旅行，它们可是很棒的伙伴！

National Llama Day

Strap on your hiking boots because it's National Llama Day! December 9 is a designated day to appreciate these intelligent and trainable creatures. You'll need to visit the Andes Mountains to see their wild cousins, guanacos. Guanacos are believed to have originated in the central plains of North America 40 million years ago, but they gradually migrated to South America. Scientists think llamas descended from guanacos and were first domesticated around 4500 BCE.

As seen in today's image, guanacos are often spotted roaming free in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, sporting dark cinnamon-colored wool and cartoonish-looking faces. Cute as they are, they can be a bit rude: Both guanacos and llamas defend themselves by spitting to assert dominance within their herd or to keep intrusive peers at bay. Don't let this deter you from going on an organized llama trek though—they can make for great pack animal companions!