Cria

A cria (pronounced /kriː.ə/) is a juvenile llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco.

Its false cognate in English, crya (pronounced /kraɪ.ə/), was coined by British sailors who explored Chile in the 18th century and were quick to describe the camelids onomatopoeically according to the mwa sound they made, which was not unlike that of a human crying baby.

Llama crias are typically born with the whole herd gathering around (only the females are present, as the males are considered a threat) in an attempt to protect against potential predators.

Llamas give birth standing, and the process is usually relatively quick and problem-free, over in less than 30 minutes.

This may increase cria survival by reducing fatalities due to hypothermia during cold Andean nights.