More precise analysis of bone and teeth of these mummies has demonstrated that alpacas were domesticated from the Vicugna vicugna. Mummies found in this region show two breeds of alpacas.

Their domesticated counterparts, the llama and alpacas, have been found mummified in the Moquegua valley, in the south of Peru, dating back 900 to 1000 years. Remains of vicuña and guanaco have been found throughout Peru for around 12,000 years. It was not until 2–5 million years ago, during the Pliocene, that the genus Hemiauchenia of the tribe Lamini split into Palaeolama and Lama the latter would then split again into Lama and Vicugna upon migrating down to South America. Although the camelids became extinct in North America around 3 million years ago, it flourished in the South with the species we see today. The descendants divided into Camelini and Lamini tribes, taking different migratory patterns to Asia and South America, respectively. The family Camelidae first appeared in Americas 40–45 million years ago, during the Eocene period, from the common ancestor, Protylopus. There are no known wild alpacas, and its closest living relative, the vicuña (also native to South America), is the wild ancestor of the alpaca.

The Moche people of Northern Peru often used alpaca images in their art. on alpaca DNA to the Royal Society showing the alpaca is descended from the vicuña, not the guanaco.Īlpacas were domesticated thousands of years ago. In 2001, the alpaca genus classification changed from Lama pacos to Vicugna pacos, following the presentation of a paper on work by Miranda Kadwell et al. The advent of DNA technology made a more accurate classification possible. Classification was complicated by the fact that all four species of South American camelid can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. At that time, the alpaca was assumed to be descended from the llama, ignoring similarities in size, fleece and dentition between the alpaca and the vicuña. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the four South American lamoid species were assigned scientific names. The relationship between alpacas and vicuñas was disputed for many years. Guanacos (wild parent species of llamas) near Torres del Paine, Chile Raised in the same conditions, the difference in weight can be small with males weighting around 22.3 kilograms (49 lb 3 oz) and females 21.3 kilograms (46 lb 15 oz). They usually weigh between 48 and 90 kilograms (106 and 198 pounds). Īn adult alpaca generally is between 81 and 99 centimetres (32 and 39 inches) in height at the shoulders ( withers). In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohair and luster. In the textile industry, 'alpaca' primarily refers to the hair of Peruvian alpacas, but more broadly it refers to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca hair, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even high-quality wool from other breeds of sheep. In some cases, alpha males will immobilize the head and neck of a weaker or challenging male in order to show their strength and dominance. Male alpacas are more aggressive than females, and tend to establish dominance within their herd group. The most common is spitting to show dominance when they are in distress, fearful, or feel agitated. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia, and 16 as classified in the United States.Īlpacas communicate through body language. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles, and ponchos, in South America, as well as sweaters, socks, coats, and bedding in other parts of the world. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, similar to sheep's wool. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, they were not bred to be working animals, but were bred specifically for their fiber. There are two breeds of alpaca: the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca.Īlpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Ecuador, and Northern Chile at an altitude of 3,500 to 5,000 metres (11,000 to 16,000 feet) above sea level. Both species are believed to have been domesticated from their wild relatives, the vicuña and guanaco. The two animals are closely related and can successfully crossbreed. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. The alpaca ( Lama pacos) is a species of South American camelid mammal.

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