Tallest toilet paper tower, most snails on one person’s face, longest fingernails…the list goes on. We can’t escape the ever-growing list of seemingly pointless Guinness World Records, but earlier this year, an icon was rightfully awarded the recognition he deserves. Whitetop, a 27 year old llama, is officially a double title holder: not only is he the oldest llama in captivity, but also the oldest llama in captivity ever recorded.
Born on May 30, 1997 on Dove Oaks Farm in Virginia, Whitetop’s rare empathetic qualities were quickly recognized. He was donated as a therapy llama in 2006 to Victory Junction, a year-round camp in North Carolina for children with various medical needs. Over the past 19 years, he has become an irreplaceable part of the camp’s mission to bring comfort and joy to its campers. According to the Associated Press, “Whitetop has become known for his relaxed, sweet and empathetic personality. His go-to move is to lie still while campers pet him.” Clearly, he has certainly stepped up to his role.
Defying the typical 15-year lifespan, Whitetop’s longevity is attributed to his high levels of exercise, happiness, and advanced veterinary care.
Unfortunately, few stars are able to come out of fame unscathed. While most llama lovers have spread their excitement and support for Whitetop’s new record, many believe he won’t live up to his esteemed predecessor: the famed Dalai Llama. The previous record holder, Dalai Llama, passed away in 2023 shortly after his 27th birthday on a ranch in Albuquerque. When Whitetop surpassed his age, rather than a celebration, a conversation of sadness ensued.
“As a llama lover, I grew up following updates about Dalai Llama, watching him defy aging expectations,” said UNIS Tut House student Mia Kalra. “I’m obviously happy that Whitetop gets to hold this record, but much more than that, I think the community just feels Dalai Llama’s absence.” She also added that, “he was a staple of 2010s culture,” and that she “doesn’t see a world where Whitetop could achieve the levels of support that Dalai Llama had.”
For those immersed in llama culture and news, as are many students like Mia, Dalai Llama was an icon of the 2010s, appearing on covers of teen and adult animal-lover magazines alike. Whitetop, meanwhile, has found his fame in a new era: the digital one. Instead of print features, he gets his publicity through TikTok clips and accounts like the Guinness World Records’.
Albuquerque native Elaine Ball states, “I just miss the nostalgia factor of Dalai Llama being part of a simpler time. I remember my classmates and I would tear out his pages in magazines and hang them in our lockers like he was Justin Bieber. You just can’t do that with TikTok. If he even does get famous, it’ll be a different kind of fame than Dalai Llama had.”
Though the subject of numerous news articles and YouTube videos, all the negative conversation surrounding his record ultimately prevented Whitetop from ever having his moment in the sun. Since Guinness World Records broke the news, the Whitetop vs. Dalai Llama comparisons have quelled, but it’s safe to say that the resentment towards Dalai Llama’s replacement may never.
