General Characteristics

Llamas and Alpacas are members of the Camelid family of which there are a total of six animals remaining on the planet:

The New World Llama, the Alpaca, the Guanaco and the Vicuna are from South America and comprise the Lama Genus.

Their evolution is estimated to have begun 40 to 50 million years ago. Fossil records indicate the Camelid ansestors roamed North America until the ocean level lowered enough at the Bering Strait allowing animals to move from North America to Asia. This species eventually migrated into Africa becoming the animals known today as the Camel.

When the land bridge from North America to South America was formed ancestors of these animals migrated south to South America. The New World Llama, Alpaca, Guanaco and Vicuña are these animals and are native to high Andes Mountains in Peru, Chile and Bolivia. [Pronounce gazzette: A double L in SA is pronouced as a 'Y'. Thus llama is prounced as 'Yama'. Alpaca pronounced as 'al-pak ka', Guanaco as 'Waa-naak-oh' and Vicuña as 'vi-kun-ya']

The Llama is the largest of the four lama species and the Alpaca the second to the smallest. (Vicuña is the smallest.) Beyond their size, the ears are the most distinguishing mark between the two animals. The Llama's ears are shaped somewhat like bananas, and from a distance they can resemble horns. The Alpaca's ears are relatively short, pointy and generally quite furry.

The species is two-toed with soft pads on the bottom of the feet like the canine rather than hoofed like horses. Their pads do not disturb natural ground surface and this is the reason why the Forest Service many times will allow these sure-footed animals into the back country wilderness while denying the hoofed animal. The species has a split upper lip and is prehensile. Each lip can be move independently of each other and is used to investigate potential food items and draw it to the teeth.

Weight of Llamas at birth range about 25-30 lbs, Alpacas about 13-18 lbs. Full grown male Llamas can reach 400 lbs.

Full grown female Llamas range about 280 lbs. Alpaca males range between 125 and 170 lbs. Females, 100 to 135 lbs. Alpacas and llamas may appear to be heavier or fat, but it is due to their fiber. These animals have very strong neck muscles and have extra thick skin on the neck to protect them from each other during minor disputes.

The life span is about 20-25 years. These creatures have been in North America (at least in this century) since 1984, thus it is difficult to establish their life span in the comfortable confines of North America.

The body covering each have is called hair (or fiber) rather than fur or wool. The fiber on the Alpaca is higher prized than the Llama, although both can be used for spinning and knitting. They can be sheared once a year to 18 months depending upon the environment (cold, hot, humidity, etc.) They are not normally sheared like sheep, down to the skin, because their skin can be very sensitive to sun light and can get sun burned. Instead, 1/2" to 1" is usually left on the animal.

There are two types of alpacas, Suri (Sur-ee) and Huacaya (Waa-ki-ya). Suri alpaca has fiber that hangs off their body in small ringlettes. It is often refered to as the 'rag-mop' look. Huacayas, on the other hand, has fiber that is more traditional looking fiber. Both fibers are equally prized. There are quite a few less Suri alpacas in North America, making them a bit more expensive to own than their huacaya cousin.