Llamapalooza – be calmer with a llama? Socialising with llamas has been reducing pre-exam stress among university students. In California.

Llamas differ from humans in many ways – as well as their soft wooly coats, llamas have good social skills and are calming to be around in stressful situations. Their reputation for spitting is undeserved – according to one animal behaviour specialist, you would have to be, like, “super in its face and irritate it for a llama to spit at you”. The average llama has a limited vocabulary, so perhaps this is an understandable response.

Llamapalooza seems to be a popular and effective approach to stress relief  for the students and apart from Lorenzo (aka Zoe) feeling “overwhelmed”, the llamas seem contented with the arrangement. Apparently they get plenty of grass (now legal in California) and the occasional carrot. Although if they were bored or mildly dissatisfied, it might be difficult to tell.