alpaca

Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated South American camelid closely related to the llama and native to the high Andes. Alpacas are the domesticated form of the wild vicuña and are one of two surviving domesticated species in the genus Vicugna; the other is the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna).

Domestication occurred in the central Andes, where Andean peoples such as the Quechua and Aymara began breeding alpacas for fiber and transport around 6,000 years ago. Today they are kept primarily for their wool, though some populations are used as pack animals or for meat in certain regions. There are two main fiber types: Huacaya, with a fluffy, crimpy fleece, and Suri, with long, silky, pencil-like locks.

Adult alpacas stand about 0.8 to 1.0 meters at the shoulder and weigh 45 to 65 kilograms. They are social animals that live in herds led by a dominant male or female and are generally gentle and easy to handle. Their diet consists of grasses and forage, supplemented with hay and water.

Alpacas inhabit high-altitude grasslands across the central Andes, but domestic herds are now maintained worldwide, including North America, Europe, and Australasia. They are ruminant-like herbivores with a three-chambered stomach adapted to efficient fiber digestion.

Reproduction typically yields a single cria after a gestation of about 11.5 months; twins are rare. Crias are weaned after several months. Shearing is usually done annually to harvest fiber, which can be spun into textiles prized for softness and warmth.

Alpaca fiber is a major economic product, valued for softness, color range, and insulation. They are generally kept in managed flocks with attention to welfare and genetic diversity; ongoing breeding programs aim to improve fiber quality and productivity.