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Specifications
Colour: Light Brown
Vaccine History: Yes
Gender: Female
General Information
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Common Name: Alpaca
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Scientific Name: Vicugna pacos
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Family: Camelidae (same family as llamas, camels, and vicuñas)
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Origin: Domesticated in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile about 6,000 years ago
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Status: Domesticated species (not found in the wild), but descended from the wild vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)
🔹 Physical Description
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Size: 3 feet (90 cm) at the shoulder, about 4.5–5 feet (1.3–1.5 m) tall at the head
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Weight: 48–84 kg (106–185 lbs)
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Body: Slender with long legs and neck
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Fur: Dense, soft fleece (one of the finest natural fibers in the world), comes in 22+ recognized colors from white, fawn, brown, grey, black, to multi-colored
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Head: Small, with spear-shaped ears (shorter than llama ears)
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Lifespan: 15–20 years (some up to 25 years)
🔹 Temperament & Behavior
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Personality: Gentle, curious, docile, but can be shy; usually less aggressive than llamas
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Social Needs: Herd animals—must be kept in groups (they become stressed alone)
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Behavior:
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Communicate with soft humming sounds, clucking, and occasional alarm calls
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May spit when threatened, annoyed, or establishing dominance (less frequent than llamas)
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Intelligence: Can be halter-trained and follow basic routines
🔹 Diet
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Type: Herbivore, grazing animal
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Main Foods: Grasses, hay, and forage plants
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Supplements: Mineral licks and small amounts of grain (only if needed)
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Water: Fresh water must always be available
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Special Note: They are very efficient grazers, requiring less food than sheep of similar size
🔹 Habitat & Range
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Native Habitat: High Andes of South America (cold, dry mountain regions at 3,500–5,000 m elevation)
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Domesticated Habitat: Now kept worldwide for fiber production and as pets/companions
🔹 Reproduction
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Breeding: Induced ovulators (females ovulate after mating)
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Gestation: About 11.5 months (345 days)
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Litter Size: Usually a single cria (baby alpaca)
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Crias: Born weighing 6–9 kg (13–20 lbs), able to stand and nurse within hours
🔹 Uses & Importance
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Primary Use: Fiber production (softer and warmer than sheep wool, hypoallergenic)
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Secondary Uses: Companions, guard animals for smaller livestock, eco-friendly grazers
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Not Typically Used For: Meat (unlike llamas, though in some regions alpaca meat is consumed)
Inquiry - Alpaca (Light Brown)
