Basic History of Alpacas...

• Domesticated nearly 6000 years ago, alpacas come from South America---Chile, Bolivia, and Peru.
• Alpacas are smaller cousins to the Llama, and are also related to the vicuna and guanaco.
• Llamas were domesticated for pack animals.
• Alpacas were domesticated for their wonderful fleece.
• There are TWO kinds of alpacas: Suri and Huacaya.
• Suri alpacas have long straight locks, sometimes looking like "dreadlocks", giving the animal an elegant, shimmery look.
• Huacaya alpacas have crimpy, fluffy, fuzzy fleece---"teddy bear-like"
• Alpacas are very gentle on the earth, having soft foot pads, with two toes on each foot.
• Communal "Potty Spots"---Alpacas are quite "tidy" as livestock go. The group tends to use the same few spots for going to the bathroom, rather than randomly over the pasture, like horses, sheep, goats, and other livestock do.
• Alpacas are generally quiet, docile animals, sometimes fussing between themselves for space or pecking order.

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