Climate snapshot for alpacas
88/100Alpaca climate comfort score
33°CAverage high, Feb
9°CAverage low, Jun
~41Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~1Frost nights per year
737 mmAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jan–Feb
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 88/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa). GBIF holds 2 alpaca occurrence records for Australia.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°C | 17°C | 4 mm | 136 · caution | — |
| Feb | 33°C | 18°C | 6 mm | 135 · caution | — |
| Mar | 28°C | 16°C | 22 mm | 141 · caution | grass |
| Apr | 23°C | 13°C | 45 mm | 135 · ok | grass |
| May | 20°C | 12°C | 77 mm | 137 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 15°C | 9°C | 116 mm | 140 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 15°C | 9°C | 163 mm | 139 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 16°C | 9°C | 154 mm | 141 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 19°C | 10°C | 72 mm | 140 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 22°C | 12°C | 42 mm | 139 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 26°C | 14°C | 23 mm | 136 · caution | grass |
| Dec | 30°C | 16°C | 11 mm | 136 · caution | — |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2023-2024) at -32.5°, 116.1°, elevation 255 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Western Australia, Australia
January 32° / 17°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
February 33° / 18°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
March 28° / 16°C
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 23° / 13°C
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 20° / 12°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 15° / 9°C
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
July 15° / 9°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
August 16° / 9°C
September 19° / 10°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 22° / 12°C
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 26° / 14°C
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Secure winter hay: about 12 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 30° / 16°C
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: September.
- Best months for crias to be born: Mar–Jun (breed in Apr–Jul).
- Heat precautions: Jan–Feb.
- Barber pole worm season: May, Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Mar–Nov (about 9 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (P. tenuis) is a North American parasite and is not present here.
- Selenium: Check regional soil selenium with your vet or agricultural advisor — many temperate regions are low.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Western Australia, Australia are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Western Australia, Australia?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Western Australia, Australia scores 88/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat.
When should alpacas be shorn in Western Australia, Australia?
Plan shearing for September, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Western Australia, Australia?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Mar–Jun. For births then, breed females in Apr–Jul (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Western Australia, Australia?
With roughly 3 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 565 lb (256 kg) — around 12 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Western Australia, Australia?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jan–Feb. We estimate about 41 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Coordinates -32.500, 116.100. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.