Sir Bani Yas Island, the award-winning nature and wildlife island reserve, recently welcomed a baby llama to its extensive wildlife family. The baby is the first of its species to be born on the island, which is a testament to the ongoing efforts by the Sir Bani Yas Conservation Team.

There are currently seven llamas on Sir Bani Yas Island, five females and two males. The baby male will stay with its mother for six months before becoming more independent. Llamas are a South American relative of the camel, but do not have a hump. These sociable animals can be found wandering in herds, grazing on grass or various other plants. As they can be found in mountainous areas, they have adapted to needing little water. Llamas have also been domesticated and have been used as pack animals for thousands of years.

An 87-square kilometre island located off the coast of Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas was developed into a wildlife reserve by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Today, as a result of dedicated environmental and conservation efforts, over 13,000 free-roaming animals and birds, including Oryx, gazelles, deer, ostriches, giraffes and cheetahs, call the island home. Offering a wide variety of experiences, ranging from quiet getaways to thrilling adventures and family-fun excursions, guests interested in visiting or staying on Sir Bani Yas can enjoy short direct flights through Rotana Jet or seaplane rides by Seawings from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, or can take a boat transfer from Jebel Dhanna in the Western Region.