Llamas and alpacas can still interbreed which is called a huarizo. Alpacas are hybrids of the vicuna and the guanaco 6,000 years ago, created as a prized possession by the ancient Incas because of the quality of their fleece, which was spun and woven into garments.
16 of the 22 Natural Colors About AlpacasIntroduction:Alpacas are truly unique and wonderful creatures. With their ability to adapt to virtually any climate they are being raised from Florida to Minnesota and California to Maine. Their gentle humming and playful pronking as well as minimal care requirements make them truly a unique livestock. They are safe; they don't bite or butt and are wonderful with children. Even if they could bite without incisors horns hoofs or claws little harm can be done.
Clean-up is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock (not to mention that the droppings are know as 'Alpaca Gold' the perfect fertilizer!).The alpaca, as seen above on the left, weigh about 140-160 pounds on average, and have soft, luxurious fleece. They are gentle, timid, and are not agressive animals, running away from any predatory situation. The llama on the other hand, as shown on the right, average over 300 pounds, and have much coarser fleece. They are very brave and would challenge a preditor, and make good guard animals, and are great for carrying heavy packs.Both the alpaca and the llama have soft padded feet that are gentle to the pastures. Their method of grazing is such that they eat only the tops of the grasses, leaving the root systems fully intact, providing healthy regrowth and management of the acreage. They have require minimal fencing, have few predators and can offer the community surrounding it, many great long-term pleasures.A television program, once featured a short piece about alpacas that may be fun for you to watch!Alpacas, A Brief History:Since ancient times, the South American Andes Mountains have been the ancestral home to the prized alpaca.
Their fleece was cherished by members of the Incan civilization (referred to as 'The Fiber of the Gods'), and their graceful herds of alpaca roamed century, Spanish conquistadors killed a large part of both the Incan and alpaca populations, forcing the retreating survivors to seek refuge in the high mountain plains known as the Altiplano.The high altitude and harsh landscape ensured only the hardiest of these creatures survived, and these ancestors of today's best bloodlines have provided a gene pool producing hardy, agile animals with dense, high quality fiber. In 1984, a small group of importers brought the first of a carefully selected herd of highest quality alpacas into the United States and Canada, and they immediately became a beloved part of the North American landscape.Peru, Bolivia, and Chile are still home to the largest percentage of alpacas in the world, and alpaca breeders in the United States have learned much from their southern neighbors.Alpaca Facts:Alpacas are a member of the camelid family, which also includes llamas, camels, vicuna and guanaco. But they are completely different than their counterparts in character and temperament especially the camel, as you will read more about.They are a modified ruminant and chew their cud similar to a cow, although they have three stomach compartments, rather than the true ruminant, which has four. Alpacas selectively graze, eating pasture grasses and hay.The scientific name of the Alpaca is Lama Pacos. (You can nearly understand the derivation of alpaca!) There are two different alpacas types, the suri and the huacaya or huacayo. The suri has fiber that grows quite long and forms silky, pencil-like locks.
Today, there are between Between 3,500,000 and 4,000,000 in Peru, representing 75% of the world's total population. Here in North America, the National Alpaca registry currently lists just over 150,000. Quite an impressive difference.Alpacas have no top teeth in the front. Alpacas are small and gentle enough to travel short distances in the family minivan and are easily handled by most people.Alpacas have a life span of 20 +/- years, so you can enjoy your alpaca for a long time. Not only do they have a long reproductive life, they will provide fleece for a lifetime, making for a long-lived investment.An alpaca's gestation period is 11 to 12 months, and they have single births (twins are extremely rare).
A baby alpaca, called a cria, usually weighing between 15 and 20 pounds. Huacaya: The more numerous breed, representing 90% of the population, has a wavy, crimpy, lofty fleece, giving it a very woolly appearance.Suri: The less common variety, representing 10% of the population, has a fleece composed of straight, silky and exceptionally lustrous fibers. It is ideal for making long-pile fabrics. (Suri alpaca shown to the left).Height: They stand about 47-59 inches (1,20 m to 1,50 m) to the head; and weigh on average: 100 to 175 lb, 45 kg to 79 kg.Color: Variable, with up to 22 different shades, and a few inbetween, but more uniform than the llama, ranging from black to white with intermediate tones of brown and gray. This is a characteristic not found among the other noble fibers.Habitat: The Peruvian Andes at more than 13,000 ft, (4000 m) above sea level, where the diurnal temperature range may reach 54 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius.Food: Natural pasture.Alpaca Fiber: Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, Alpaca fiber comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal 22 colors that are recognized by the textile industry, and there are many blends in addition to that. Alpacas are shorn for their wonderful fleece each year, which will produce an average yield of 5 pounds, fiber that is turned into the most luxurious garments in the world.