Llama ran away when mother was killed by mountain lion

The mystery behind a baby llama roaming the rocky slopes of Pikes Peak for more than a month has now been solved.

The little llama, dubbed Pikes Peak’s Homer by his temporary caretaker Tracy Ducharme, was traumatized and ran off on Aug. 14 when his mom was killed by a mountain lion. His owner, Theresa Kabot, told Ducharme that they searched the ranch, at the southern foot of Pikes Peak, but figured he had been killed as well when they didn’t find him.

Instead, the little guy was hanging out on Pikes Peak, where he charmed passengers on the cog railway and tried unsuccessfully to make friends with a herd of bighorn sheep. When Ducharme, a llama owner from Black Forest, heard his story she headed up the mountain Friday to rescue him. She brought her llama along, and Homer immediately ran up to them.

Homer’s rescue story traveled even farther than he did. He got so much media attention that the story traveled by The Associated Press to Seattle, where Kabot is staying for business. She called Ducharme as soon as she found out.

“They just sounded overjoyed that he’s safe,” Ducharme said. “They thought he was dead.”

Kabot sent Ducharme a picture of Homer and his mother, and sure enough, it was him. Ducharme will watch the llama while Kabot stays in Seattle for the next few weeks.

In the meantime, Ducharme is trying to help him gain weight and had him examined by a veterinarian.

“The backs of his ears were frostbitten,and he probably won’t have hair on his ears, but he’s doing great besides that,” she said. “The vet said that any other kind of creature that would have been lost up there would have succumbed, but being native to alpine areas, he weathered it really well.”

She said she couldn’t sleep Saturday because she was so excited that she found his owners. She said llamas bond closely to their herd and he will be excited to be back with his.

“He’s had such a traumatic time, it feels great to have him so safe and happy,” she said. “It really feels like he’s home safe now.”