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Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years. In fact, the Moche people of Northern Peru often used Alpaca images in their art. There are no wild alpacas. The closest living species are the wild Vicuña, also native to South America. Along with Camels and Llamas, the Alpaca are classified as Camelids. The Alpaca is larger than the Vicuña but smaller than the other Camelid species.

Of the various Camelid species, the Alpaca and Vicuña are the most valuable fiber-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and quantity of its fiber, and the vicuña because of the softness, fineness and quality of its coat. Alpacas are too small to be used as pack animals. Instead, they were bred exclusively for their fiber and meat

Alpaca meat was once considered a delicacy by Andean inhabitants. A recent resurgence in Alpaca meat was curtailed by a recent change to Peruvian law granting the Alpaca protected status. Today, it is illegal to slaughter or trade in Alpaca meat. Because of the high price commanded by Alpaca on the growing North American Alpaca market, illegal Alpaca smuggling has become a growing problem.

Alpacas and llamas can (and do) successfully cross-breed. The resulting offspring are called huarizo, which are valued for their unique fleece and often have gentle temperaments and are suitable for pets.

Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups consisting of a territorial alpha male, females and their young. They are gentle, elegant, inquisitive, intelligent and observant. As they are a prey animal, they are cautious and nervous if they feel threatened. They like having their own space and may not like an unfamiliar alpaca or human getting close, especially from behind.
They warn the herd about intruders by making sharp, noisy inhalations that sound like a high pitch burro bray. The herd may attack smaller predators with their front feet, and can spit and kick. Due to the soft pads on their feet, the impact of a kick is not as dangerous as that of a hoofed animal, yet it still can give quite a bruise, and the pointed nails can inflict cuts.

Hygiene
To help alpacas control their internal parasites they have a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. Generally, males have much tidier, and fewer dung piles than females who tend to stand in a line and all go at once. One female approaches the dung pile and begins to urinate and/or defecate, and the rest of the herd often follows.

Because of their preference for using a dung pile, some alpacas have been successfully house-trained.

History of the scientific name

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the four South American camelid species were assigned scientific names. At that time, the alpaca was assumed to be descended from the llama, ignoring similarities in size, fleece and dentition between the alpaca and the vicuña. Classification was complicated by the fact that all four species of South American camelid can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. It was not until the advent of DNA technology that a more accurate classification was possible.

In 2001, the alpaca genus classification changed from Lama pacos to Vicugna pacos following the presentation of a paper on work by Dr Jane Wheeler et al on alpaca DNA to the Royal Society showing that the alpaca is descended from the vicuña, not the guanaco.

The relationship between alpacas and vicuñas was disputed for many years, but Wheeler's DNA work proved it. However, many academic sites have not caught up with this, so it is something well known to alpaca breeders who have read Hoffman's book, and to Royal Society members who have access to the current classification data, but not more widely known.

Poisonous to Alpacas
Many plants are poisonous to the Alpaca, including the bracken fern, fireweed, oleander, and some azaleas. In common with similar livestock, others include: Acorns, African rue, Agave, Amaryllis, Autumn Crocus, Bear Grass, Broom Snakeweed, Buckwheat, Ragweed, Buttercups, Calla lily, Orange tree, Carnations, beans from the Castor Oil plant, Cress and a great many others

Fiber
Alpaca fleece is a light-weight, lustrous and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool in that it is a natural fiber, it is warmer, not prickly, and bears no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic.
It is also soft and luxurious. In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat akin to hair, being very glossy, but its softness and fineness enable the spinner to produce satisfactory yarn with comparative ease. It is hollow as well, which makes it a good insulator. The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool..

ELASTICITY AND RESISTANCE: The alpaca and vicuña fibre are very elastic and resistant, same as wool and other animal fibres. HIGROSCOPIC PROPERTY:The absorption of moisture from the environment is low. THERMIC PROPERTY: The structure of these fibres act like a thermal insulation, making them suitables for different weather conditions. NOT FLAMMABLE: These fibres are not combustive if not on contact with fire. FELT-LIKE: The alpaca and vicuña fibres don´t felt up with time or washing. SOFTNESS (HAND): These fibres are very smooth to the touch, and delicate as a 3 or 4 microns wool or even thinner. VISUAL TEXTURE: Especially in coats, this fabric hangs very good, it also has a great appearence and natural sheen, being unalterable with the pass of time.

Andean Poncho The traditional Andean poncho has a plain design and it is made of alpaca, sheep or llama wool. It comes in natural colors. The traditional poncho is a basically a large piece of fabric with and opening for the head and it is a comfortable garnment that men and women can wear to protect their bodies from low temperatures. The Andean poncho is handwoven in rustic looms with a mixture of thick alpaca and sheep wool. Experience the Andes by wearing this authentic poncho.

Baby Alpaca

Andean Poncho

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