What are Alpacas?
Alpacas are animals domesticated in the high altitudes of South
America thousands of years ago for their luxurious fleece. They
are members of the camelid family, which also includes camels,
llamas, vicanas and guanacos.
Life
span:
The life span of an alpaca is 20 to 25 years. Females can breed
when they weigh 95 pounds, which generally occurs between 14
and 18 months of age. Females are induced ovulators, which means
they can be bred year round.
Following an eleven and a half month gestation,
they give birth to a single cria that weighs between 15 and
22 pounds. Males usually begin breeding when they are two years
old.
What
types and colours are there?
There are two types of alpacas - suri and huacaya. The fleece
of the suri hangs in pencil locks like dredlocks, while huacaya
fleece is more like sheep's fleece without the lanolin - more
of a teddy bear look.
Alpacas come in many different colours ranging from white to
black, beige to dark brown. The fleece is prized by spinners
for its softness and is warmer and lighter in weight than wool.
People who are allergic to wool can often wear garments made
of alpaca, which is as soft as cashmere.
What
maintenance do they require?
Alpacas are relatively hardy and easy to keep. However, a daily
check, water and a good diet mainly grass are needed. They require
periodic foot trimming (every four months) vaccination (every
six months) and worming (every 6 months) and shearing once a
year.
Did you know?
Cria (pronounced cree-ah) is the name for a baby alpaca. It
comes from the Spanish word Cria meaning "baby"
