World's oldest llama dies in Albuquerque at 27

The animals were quiet when Kee and Sami Straits returned to their Albuquerque farm after a trip to Germany.

Normally, one-eyed brown llama Dalai Llama — the “guardian” of QD Farm — would be the first to greet the returning family.

But in his absence, Dalai’s best friend, a Nigerian dwarf goat named Gelato, was “kind of dazed,” said owner Andrew Thomas, just like the rest of Dalai’s human and animal family.

“He’s usually very playful and engaging … wants to get your attention,” Kee Straits said. “That was the first thing we noticed coming back. He just stood there.”

Dalai died on Aug. 17.

Like legends Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Amy Winehouse before him, Dalai, a rock star in his own right, died at age 27 — much older than the average life span of his species.

Dalai set two records for being the oldest living llama and oldest llama in captivity ever, after celebrating his birthday in January. Llamas typically live between 15 to 20 years, although they can live longer in captivity. The previous record-holder lived to be 26.

11 photos of a llama life well-lived

Dalai was at home in the Sandia Mountains. When the now-teenaged Sami was younger, he would carry her on his back during mountain treks. Although the llama could be a defender, Straits and Thomas said, he was also gentle and good with kids. Straits said when his ashes are returned, they may sprinkle them in the mountains.

The QD in the name of the farm stands for Quechua, in honor of Straits’ Peruvian heritage, and Diné, in honor of Thomas’. The animals on the farm reflected that shared culture: llamas and guinea pigs from Peru alongside Navajo-churro sheep.

Dalai helped keep Straits and her daughter connected with that history, she said.

“Dalai Llama really helped us to constantly talk about (it),” Straits said. “Like, why do we have llamas? How did we traditionally live alongside llamas? What did llamas make possible for us?”

His long life made him a celebrity, Straits said. Even people in Germany had seen Dalai’s picture, which “made it around the world.”

Thomas tended to Dalai while his wife and daughter traveled in Europe, putting treatment on his one healthy eye every day and feeding him a rich alfalfa diet. But the July heat wave was hard on the geriatric llama, Thomas said.

“I wrote him off many years ago,” Thomas said. “(But) I think the Peruvian gods sent us a good one.”

Dalai had one close call before, when an infection took one of his eyes. But he was a survivor, even when his dark brown wool was spun with silver — thanks to the care from Thomas and the Straits.

“We’re proud of what we did and what we do,” Thomas said. “We move forward as a family.”