About Alpacas

Introduction

The Alpaca is one of two domesticated breeds of South American camel-like ungulates, derived from wild guanaco. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger in size, and has a long erect neck with a handsome head.

Alpacas are kept in large herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of between 3500 and 5000 metres above sea-level, throughout the year. They are valued for their fibre, of which Indian blankets and ponchos are made.

The alpaca comes in 22 natural colours.

Background

Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years, and originate from Peru, Chile and Bolivia. It is believed that they are decended from the vicuña, which is also native to South Amercia. They are closely related to llamas, which are decended from the guanaco. These four species of animals are collectively called camelids.

Of the four the alpaca and the vicuña are the most valuable wool-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and the quantity of its wool.

There are two types of alpaca — Huacaya (with crimpy sheep-like wool) and Suri (with silky dreadlocks). Suris are rarer than the Huacaya, estimated to make up 6 and 10% of the alpaca population.

Alpaca fleece is a luxurious fibre, light in weight, silky to the touch, warm and not prickly. A big trade of alpaca fleece exists in countries where alpacas live, from very simple and not so expensive garnments made by the aboriginal communities, to sophisticated products industrially made, that have significantly high prices.

White is the predominant colour of alpacas, both Suri and Huacaya. This is because selective breeding has favoured white — bulk white fleece is easier to market and can be dyed any colour. However, alpacas come in 22 natural colours, from true black through browns and fawns to white, and there are silver greys and rose greys as well.