Alpaca

About the alpaca

The alpaca is a domesticated South American camelid, traditionally kept in herds grazing the high meadows and escarpments of the Andes across Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Ecuador, and Northern Chile, typically at elevations of 3,500 to 5,000 m (11,000 to 16,000 ft). There are no wild alpacas; its closest living relative and wild ancestor is the vicuña, a smaller, fine-haired camelid also native to South America. Genetic evidence, including DNA work presented to the Royal Society in 2001, showed the alpaca descends from the vicuña rather than the llama's wild ancestor, the guanaco, which led to its reclassification from Lama pacos to Vicugna pacos. That said, mitochondrial DNA in many modern alpacas still carries guanaco and vicuña signatures, likely a result of recent crossbreeding between llamas and alpacas.

An adult alpaca stands between 81 and 99 cm (32 to 39 in) at the shoulder and typically weighs 48 to 90 kg (106 to 198 lb), with males and females raised under the same conditions differing only modestly in weight, around 22.3 kg (49 lb 3 oz) versus 21.3 kg (46 lb 15 oz). The species comes in two breeds, distinguished by fiber type rather than any formal taxonomy. Huacaya alpacas, about 90% of the population, have thick, crimped, wavy fleece and are thought to have become dominant after the Spanish arrival pushed herds into higher, harsher altitudes. Suri alpacas, the remaining 10%, grow fiber in straight locks and were likely more common in lower, milder pre-Columbian pastures. Both breeds' fiber is spun into knitted and woven goods much like sheep's wool, and in the textile trade the term "alpaca" often extends more broadly to describe similar high-quality fabrics.

Alpacas and llamas are frequently confused, since both are domesticated Andean camelids descended from wild relatives roughly 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, but they serve different purposes: llamas are larger, used historically as pack animals and livestock guardians, while alpacas are shorter and bred primarily for their fiber. All four South American camelids, alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco, are close enough relatives to interbreed successfully.

Behavior and diet

Alpacas are social herd animals living in family groups built around a territorial alpha male, females, and their young. They maintain a clear hierarchy and communicate largely through body language and a wide vocabulary of sounds: humming when born, distressed, or curious; snorting and grumbling when personal space is invaded; clucking, used by mothers concerned for their young and by males signaling friendliness; and loud screams or bird-like screeches during fights or mishandling. One recognizable warning pose, called "broadside," has a male pulling his ears back and standing sideways to defend territory.

Spitting is the alpaca's best-known defensive behavior, though not every individual does it. It ranges from a burst of air and a little saliva to a full mouthful of regurgitated, acidic stomach contents, usually a green, grassy mix, aimed mostly at other alpacas but occasionally at people. Warning signs before a spit include blowing air, raising the head, and pinning the ears back; an alpaca can spit up to ten feet. Herds also use a shared communal dung pile rather than grazing where they defecate, a habit that may limit parasite spread and has made some alpacas successfully house-trainable.

Females are induced ovulators, meaning mating itself triggers ovulation, and most conceive after a single breeding. Gestation averages 11.5 months and usually produces a single offspring, called a cria; twins occur only about once per 1,000 births. Crias weigh roughly 15 to 19 pounds at birth and are standing within 30 to 90 minutes. They may be weaned around six months old and 60 pounds, though many breeders let the mother decide the timing. Males typically first breed between two and three years old, while breeders generally wait until females reach 18 months or more, since breeding too young is thought to be a common cause of uterine infections. The average alpaca lives 15 to 20 years, with the longest-lived individual on record reaching 28.

Range and habitat

Alpacas were traditionally raised in herds across the high Andes, from Ecuador and Peru through Western Bolivia and Northern Chile, grazing level meadows and escarpments at elevations of 3,500 to 5,000 m (11,000 to 16,000 ft). Domestication dates back at least 5,000 to 6,000 years, and mummified remains found in Peru's Moquegua valley, roughly 900 to 1,000 years old, show two distinct breeds already established by that time.

Today alpacas are raised well beyond their native range, on farms and ranches worldwide, with thousands born and raised each year, and the species has become especially popular in North America, Europe, and Australia. As livestock rather than a wild species, their present-day habitat is largely whatever pasture or ranch land their keepers provide.

Conservation status

Domestic animals are not assessed on the IUCN Red List, so the alpaca has no Red List category. It is a long-domesticated livestock species with no wild populations, raised worldwide in large and growing numbers rather than tracked as a species of conservation concern.

Its wild relative and likely ancestor, the vicuña, is a separate species. For the alpaca itself, the main animal-health issue noted is susceptibility to cattle tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, which has been documented in alpacas traded internationally.