The story of the alpaca spans 45 million years of camelid evolution, thousands of years of Andean herding, a near-catastrophe after the Spanish conquest, and a modern global revival.
Camelids began in North America
The camel family evolved in North America about 40–45 million years ago. Over millions of years some lineages crossed the Bering land bridge into Asia (becoming today’s camels), while others moved into South America about 3 million years ago, giving rise to the ancestors of the vicuña and guanaco. Camelids then disappeared from North America at the end of the last Ice Age.
Domestication in the Andes
Archaeological evidence from the central Andes of Peru shows people herding camelids 6,000–7,000 years ago. DNA studies confirm that the alpaca descends from the vicuña and the llama from the guanaco, although centuries of crossbreeding have mixed the two domestic lines.
Herders selected alpacas for fine, abundant fleece and llamas for size and strength. Alpaca herding became central to Andean life: fiber for clothing and trade, dung for fuel, meat and hides, and an important place in religion and ritual.
The Inca and the value of cloth
By the time of the Inca Empire (15th–16th centuries), textiles were among the most valuable goods in society. The finest cloth, cumbi, was woven from alpaca and vicuña fiber by specialist weavers and given as royal gifts. Herds were carefully managed by the state, and only royalty could wear vicuña. Each year communities held the chaccu, a round-up of wild vicuñas for shearing — a tradition revived today.
Collapse after the conquest
After the Spanish arrived in 1532, Andean society was devastated by war and disease. European sheep and cattle took over the best lowland pastures, and camelid herds were slaughtered or neglected. Alpacas survived mainly in the high, cold puna where sheep did poorly. Some researchers believe this disruption also coarsened alpaca fleeces, as careful Inca breeding programs were lost.
Industry and export
In the 19th century British textile industrialists, notably Sir Titus Salt in Yorkshire, began spinning alpaca fiber, creating a lasting international trade. Peru, home of most alpacas, long restricted live exports. Larger exports began in the 1980s:
- 1984 — the first significant imports to the United States.
- Late 1980s–1990s — herds established in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada.
- 2000s — rapid growth across Europe, from Germany to Scandinavia.
The modern alpaca
Today there are an estimated 4–5 million alpacas, still mostly in Peru. Outside South America alpacas are kept for fiber, breeding, companionship and agritourism. Breed registries, DNA testing and fleece testing have helped breeders improve fineness and uniformity, while the wild vicuña has recovered from near extinction thanks to protection and community-based shearing.
Explore the climate of the alpaca heartland in our Peru guide, or learn about the vicuña.
Frequently asked questions
Who domesticated the alpaca? Ancient Andean peoples in what is now Peru, roughly 6,000–7,000 years ago, from the wild vicuña.
When did alpacas come to the United States? Significant imports began in 1984.
Why was vicuña fiber reserved for royalty? It is the finest animal fiber known, and in the Inca Empire luxury cloth signaled status and was controlled by the state.
Keep reading
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.