- Whitetop, a 27-year-old llama who works at Victory Junction camp, was declared the world’s oldest llama in captivity by the Guinness World Data final week.
- Victory Junction is a year-round, free camp in North Carolina designed for chronically in poor health and disabled kids. It was based by NASCAR star Richard Petty and his household.
- Whitetop is understood for his relaxed, candy and empathetic character. He comforts campers by mendacity nonetheless whereas they pet him.
A bucktoothed llama that spends his days comforting chronically in poor health kids at a North Carolina camp based by NASCAR royalty has been topped the world’s oldest llama in captivity.
At 27 years and greater than 250 days, the selfie- and snuggle-loving llama referred to as Whitetop dethroned Dalai Llama, the Guinness World Data introduced final week. Dalai lived on a ranch in Albuquerque and was introduced because the oldest in 2023 shortly after his twenty seventh birthday.
Whitetop was donated to the Victory Junction camp in 2006, simply two years after race automotive driver Kyle Petty — the son of NASCAR nice Richard Petty — and his household based the camp in honor of Petty’s personal son, Adam, who was 19 when he was killed in a 2000 crash whereas practising for a race.
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Youngsters pose for a photograph with llama Whitetop at Victory Junction, a camp for chronically in poor health kids, in Randleman, North Carolina, in 2023. (Victory Junction through AP)
The year-round free camp sits on 84 acres within the Petty hometown of Randleman, North Carolina, about 75 miles west of Raleigh. It’s designed for youngsters with situations that embrace most cancers, kidney and coronary heart illness, cerebral palsy, Spina Bifida and an array of neurological and bodily disabilities.
Whitetop has develop into identified for his relaxed, candy and empathetic character. His go-to transfer is to lie nonetheless whereas campers pet him, which may consolation kids and provides them vital sensory enter, mentioned Billie Davis, the camp’s barn director.
“He actually will get to assist campers come out of their shell after they work together with him,” she mentioned. “He could be sort of intimidating at first, however as soon as they arrive over to him and love on him and pet on him, they only notice how candy he’s.”
Sarah Wilcox, Billie Jo Davis and Evan Bailey stand with Whitetop, who was topped world’s oldest llama in captivity by the Guinness World Data, in Randleman, North Carolina, on Feb. 25, 2025. (Victory Junction through AP)
Certainly one of his greatest pals is a miniature highland cow named Gus-Gus, who tends to neglect Whitetop is a llama and enjoys leaping on him. Whitetop additionally likes to roll in contemporary wooden chippings, chomp on soaked alfalfa and pose for selfies.
“For those who attempt to take an image of him from the aspect, he’s not into it,” Davis mentioned. “He’ll, like scoot in there and attempt to get his face from a aspect profile in order that it’s like he’s cheesing.”
Davis attributes Whitetop’s lengthy life to nice veterinary care and train, in addition to merely loving his job.
The common life span of a llama is 15 years, in response to the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.
Whitetop sits at Victory Junction, a camp for chronically in poor health kids, in Randleman, North Carolina. (Victory Junction through AP)
Whitetop has developed arthritis in his twilight years however in any other case could be very wholesome, mentioned Davis. And the one occasions the llama turns into upset is when Gus-Gus, together with two miniature donkeys named Jed and Jethro, depart him alone.
Stephanie Wilkerson, 33, first went to the camp’s household weekend in 2006 after she was recognized with Kind 1 diabetes. She mentioned she was initially somewhat nervous round Whitetop however quickly realized petting him and giving him hugs made her really feel higher.
“Once I began stroking him an increasing number of and extra, I acquired extra relaxed,” mentioned Wilkerson, who lives in Thomasville, North Carolina.
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With Whitetop’s newfound fame in longevity, the camp has began promoting restricted version T-shirts displaying Whitetop with sun shades and the phrases, “Nonetheless Spit’n.” The proceeds go to the camp.
Though Davis mentioned Whitetop would love individuals to know not all llamas spit on you.
“Usually llamas solely spit when they’re scared, uncomfortable or territorial over one thing,” she mentioned. “And he simply loves his job a lot that he doesn’t do it.”
