Just What is an Alpaca?
I guess if I’m going to have a category dedicated to our furry friends, then I should probably begin with a post that tells the uninitiated just what an alpaca is. The alpaca is a South American relative of the camel, a member of the family camelidae. Another South American camelid more familar to many is the llama. In fact, the alpaca looks like a small lama.
These creatures were raised by the Incans for their prized fleece. In the 17th century, the Spanish Conquistadors slaughtered the majority of these peaceful animals. Their intent was that by removing the livelyhood of the Incans, the Spanish could more easily control them. Fortunately, some Incans were able to escape to the Altiplano with a small group of alpca. It is from these animals that the current world herd is decended.
To round out our introduction to the alpaca, I shall blockquote an introduction from ILoveAlpacas.com:
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. Alpacas are a member of the camelid family, which also includes dromedary and Bactrian camels, llamas, vicunas, and guanacos. They are a modified ruminant and chew their cud similar to a cow, although they have three stomachs rather than the true ruminant, which has four. Alpacas selectively graze, eating pasture grasses and hay, a fact that makes feeding alpacas relatively inexpensive. A daily mineral supplement rounds out their diet.
There are two different alpacas types, the suri and the huacaya. The suri has fiber that grows quite long and forms silky, pencil-like locks. The huacaya has a shorter, dense, crimpy fleece, giving it a very woolly appearance.
Alpacas have soft padded feet, making them gentle on their pastures, and they have no top teeth in the front. The average height of an alpaca is 36″ at the withers, and they weigh from 100 to 175 pounds. 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 15 to 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 your investment long-lived.
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 weighs between 15 and 20 pounds.
Alpaca fiber comes in 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 5 to 10 pounds of soft, warm fiber that is turned into the most luxurious garments in the world. When it comes to raising alpacas, there is something for everyone.
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