Llamas As Human Health Insurance
Thu, January 21, 2010 Today’s science news features a brilliant example of why we must protect the diversity of species on our planet. Being a capitalist, I’m the first person to shake my head in arguments that an entire state’s water supply should shut down to protect a minnow. We do have arguments like that going on in America.
One person’s focus is protecting minnows. Mine is stabilizing a state’s water supply so that humans can live, too.
HOWEVER, it’s far too easy to dismiss arguments about protecting biodiversity by saying ‘Who needs all this biodiversity? What’s a minnow to me?’ Let me talk about an precious animal that red and blues can agree on: the llama.
Llamas are bigger than minnows and friendlier, too. But if we’re not terribly concerned about saving our lions and elephants in the world, then llamas might not make it either.
An intriguing story in today’s Science Daily brings llamas into the war on terror. You see - I told you we can find common ground.
Indeed, scientists at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) have for the first time developed a highly sensitive means of detecting the seven types of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) simultaneously.
The BoNT-detecting substances are antibodies found in llamas. BoNT are the only toxins in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ‘category A’ list of potential bioterror threats alongside anthrax, Ebola virus and other infectious agents.
You must read the article to understand the science here, but the implications are fascinating.
Knowing that humans aren’t particularly concerned about biodiversity issues — including llamas — my next move is to Google “save the llamas”.
I see Save the Llamas on Facebook with 22 members. I rest my case. Then again, perhaps we have all the llamas we need.
The Google page 1 video WiiBratz(3) - Save the Llamas!X3 is even more concernful. Girls, I want to encourage your entrepreneurial media venture, but can we PLEASE get on with the show. You lost me. Make your llama points, instead of frolicking around in your Andy Warhol moment.
And Google — about your algorithm??? It’s confusing the heck out of me these days, with one wide goose chase after another.
On we go … From Feb 2009 we find A Llama Could Save Your Life on Popular Science.
No offense to the lovely llama photo from Science Daily, but the Popular Science photo is a heart breaker:
Llama law_keven (CC Licensed)Now we have a relationship dot — a point of bonding. Human to llama — what’s the staus? Again we read about the llama immune system in A Llama Could Save Your Life. It’s seems that llamas deserve to be on a human pedestal, given their role in potentially insuring the survivals of the HUMAN species. Because their immune system antibodies are 90 percent smaller than humans, they can be better targeted against invading bacteria and viruses.
Researchers want to use llama antibodies as more targeted delivery systems against cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. In a subscription-only article, the WSJ writes that the llamas could bring down the cost of health care with lower production costs. We may be able to injest disease-fighting llama antibodies orally and via inhaler.
OMG. Look . .. look … look. Two llamas from Animals Need Kisses. Perhaps I should take on llamas as their personal protectress. I know for a fact that there is a llama in the United States named for me. No kidding.
It appears that llamas are not endangered, but I’m reading all kinds of contradictory information about them, and we must sort out the facts before continuing. Putting llamas in search at the World Wildlife Fund leaves me empty-handed. I need some time here, to figure out llamas.
For today let’s agree that we all have a vested interest in protecting llamas and a multitude of biodiversity on the planet.
We are all connected on Mother Earth and no political ideology or religion can negate that fact. End of sermon and lots of love for llamas. Anne
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