- Scientific name
- Vicugna pacos
- Status
- Domestic
- Height
- 32-39 in (81-99 cm) at the withers
- Weight
- 106-190 lb (48-86 kg)
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years (some 25+)
- Gestation
- about 335 days (11.5 months)
- Population
- about 4-5 million worldwide, 80%+ in Peru
- Fiber
- Fine fleece, 18-32 µm, no guard hair in quality animals
- Main uses
- Fiber, companionship, agritourism
- Temperament
- Shy, gentle herd animal; dislikes being touched on the head
- Conservation
- Domestic
Origins
Domesticated from the vicuña in the Andes about 6,000-7,000 years ago.
iNaturalist users have recorded 5,422 observations of this species.
Where alpacas are recorded (GBIF)
GBIF aggregates 868 occurrence records of alpacas from museums, surveys and citizen science.
| Country (ISO) | Occurrence records |
|---|---|
| PE | 217 |
| CL | 198 |
| DE | 73 |
| US | 59 |
| EC | 52 |
| BO | 29 |
| JP | 20 |
| CN | 13 |
| BE | 8 |
| AR | 6 |
| GB | 4 |
| NL | 3 |
Background
The alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. Traditionally, alpacas were kept in herds that grazed on the level heights of the Andes of Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Ecuador, and Northern Chile. More recently, alpacas may be found on farms and ranches worldwide, with thousands of animals born and raised annually. Alpacas are especially popular in North America, Europe, and Australia.From Wikipedia — “Alpaca”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.