Alpaca

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Alpaca

Alpacas are the smallest member of the family Camelidae reaching a shoulder height of only about 35” and a weight of about 125 lbs. The other South American camelids are the llama, guanaco, and vicuña.

The Alpaca is a domesticated species, and is believed to have been derived from the vicuña starting around 6000 years ago. Pre-Inca cultures in the Andes used the camelids for food and clothing.

The Incas considered the alpacas to be a gift from the gods, loaned to them for as long as they were properly cared for. They bred alpacas for their wool, which was used to make highly valued fabrics. The Incas kept large herds of alpacas, and separated them into flocks according to their color.

When the Spanish conquistadors invaded the Andean regions of South America, they are said to have killed off many of the alpacas in an attempt to deprive the people of their main livelihood. This attempt was made again in the mid 1900s by a gorilla group. Despite these attacks, over 90% of the worlds alpacas still live in this region.

Modern alpacas are also highly valued for the fiber that they produce. They have recently become very popular in both the United States, and New Zealand. Their fleece is much thicker and more fine than that of its’ cousin the llama. An average alpaca produces anywhere from 3 1/2 to 11 lbs of wool/year.