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Alpacas -
General Information
Alpacas are
camelids. They are related to more familiar animals such as camels and llamas.
They are also related to less familiar animals called vicunas and guanacos.
Alpacas are native to the Andes mountains of South America. They are one of the
worlds oldest domesticated breeds of livestock. Today, there are about 3.5
million alpacas in the world. About 99% of them live in Peru, Bolivia, and
Chile. Arequipa, Peru is the center of the alpaca textile industry.
The importation of
alpacas into the United States began in 1984. Today there are approximately
30,000 alpacas in North America. About 95% of those are huacaya alpacas.
Huacaya (wuh - kai - yuh) alpacas have a dense, crimpy fiber and look
like a teddy bear when they are in full fleece. The more rare suri (sir
- ee) alpacas have a long pencil-like lock that drapes and shimmers when they
move.
 Alpacas are
intelligent, hardy, environmentally-friendly herd animals. Their compact size
and personality make them a pleasure to handle. Clothing made from their
superior fleece is lightweight, warm, and finer than cashmere and silk. And
finally, alpacas provide an excellent investment opportunity and tax benefit.
Some other alpaca keywords you might
encounter are:
Cria a baby alpaca
Hembra Spanish term for female alpaca
Macho Spanish term for male alpaca
Dam a mother alpaca
Sire a father alpaca
Weanling or Tui an alpaca between 6 and 12
months of age
Yearling an alpaca between 1 and 2 years
of age
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