Alpacas
are the South American member of the camel family that is closely
related to the llama, guanaco, and vicuña, which are known
collectively as lamoids.
Alpacas were cherished by the ancient Incan civilization and played
a central role in the Incan culture of South America. They were a
foundation of Incan commerce, providing food, clothing, fuel and transportation.
Alpacas still live on the Andean plateau in the mountains of South
America, with 99% of the world's approximate three million alpacas
found in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Alpacas were first imported to
the United States in 1984, and are now being successfully raised and
enjoyed throughout North America and abroad.
Alpacas are raised mainly for their luxurious fiber, which is prized
for its softness (equivalent to mohair and surpassed only by vicuna),
uniform fineness and strength. Once reserved for Incan royalty, alpaca
fiber is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world. It
is three times stronger than sheep's wool, while its value and durability
continue to be appreciated by world textile experts. The best fiber
(softest, finest, most uniform and dense) is found on the alpaca's
sides and loin. The leg, chest, face and neck wool often consists
of thicker, less uniform fibers.
There are two types of alpacas - the Huacaya and the Suri.
The huacaya (pronounced wa-ki-a) alpaca is characterized by a fiber
that is dense, crimped, and wooly in appearance. The abundant coverage
of this fiber gives the huacaya a soft look and explains the overwhelming
popularity the huacaya enjoys worldwide. Huacayas represent 90% of
the North American alpaca population.
The suri (sir-e) is distinguished from the huacaya alpaca by its unique
fiber characteristics. The fiber grows parallel to the body while
hanging in long, separate, non-crimped locks. Suri fiber locks are
made up of high-luster fibers and drapes down the sides of the body
in a twisted or flat form. Suri fiber has excellent luster, a slick
hand, and extreme softness. Suri alpacas are extremely rare, representing
only a very small percentage of the world's alpaca population.
The alpaca fiber is clipped from the animal without causing it injury.
As soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, it
comes in approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends,
which is more than any other fiber-producing animal.
The lifespan of an alpaca is about 20 years, and gestation is approximately
11.5 months. Full grown, they are about 36" tall and weigh about
150 pounds. They are gentle, safe and easy to handle; they don't bite
or butt. Herd-oriented animals, they require minimal fencing and can
be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre. Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud.
Maintenance is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few
places.
Alpacas communicate with a variety of mostly quiet noises and body
postures. Their most common sound is a soft, pleasant humming. They
sound off an alarm call to signal the approach of an intruder. Alpacas
also have readily understood body language involving posturing with
ears, tail, neck. These movements are used to establish pecking order
in the herd. Young alpacas are especially curious and they often communicate
by sniffing and touching the other animals.
The pedigree of alpacas is documented by the Alpaca Registry. The
Registry has been established to help ensure accurate records and
has a state-of the-art system for documenting bloodlines. The registry
requires blood typing of all alpacas, and has been supported by the
alpaca community as proven by the inclusion of virtually every alpaca
in the United States. |