BELLA VISTA, Calif. — A llama believed to be the world’s oldest died last week, and the animal’s owners are trying to get his age verified through Guinness World Records.
Shorty, also known as Larry, was 31 when he passed away on July 23, according to the nonprofit Iron Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Bella Vista, California.
The average lifespan of a llama is between 12 and 14 years.
Iron Giants Draft Horse Rescue’s owners have submitted information about Shorty to Guinness World Records, KHSL reported.
If Shorty’s age is verified by the record-keeping site, he would break the current mark of oldest llama in captivity -- 29 years 174 days old. That record is held by “King’s Alice in Wonderland,” who lives on a llama farm in Lyons, Oregon, according to Guinness. That animal was verified on May 18, 2025.
Iron Giants co-founder Jessi Carrillo said her family moved to the Bella Vista property in December to give the rescue more space. Shorty was part of the deal.
“When we were down here visiting and signing our lease contract, of all the things, he said there’s a caveat, there’s a llama on the property, and it’s part of your contract to care for the llama on the property,” Carrillo told KHSL.
“Shorty was kind of the wise old grandpa of the property,” Carrillo said.
Carrillo said the rescue knew Shorty was old, but did not realize what an ancient animal he really was until neighbors began sharing stories about the llama.
“We knew he was old, but we started talking to all the neighbors,” Carrillo told KHSL. “This neighbor over here said, ‘I moved here 30 years ago, and he was a little baby llama; he was about a year old then.’”
Carrillo called Shorty “adorable and funny” despite his fear of humans.
“We’d call him a pop-up llama because you wouldn’t see him anywhere, and then suddenly you’d talk about him, and he’d pop up over the fence like he knew you were talking about him,” she told the television station.
The rescue unit called Shorty’s death “a heartbreaking day.”
“We never intended to bring in llamas, but God clearly had other plans, and we are forever grateful for the memories we have with you,” the organization wrote in a Facebook post.
To honor his memory, the rescue plans to name its llama field after Shorty, KHSL reported.
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