The alpaca is a rare, gentle, beautiful animal. With a long neck, it reaches approximately five feet tall and weights between 105-170 lbs. The height at withers is 30-38”. Its relatively small size makes it very appealing, and its gentleness captivates children so that do not hesitate to approach them for a hug or a kiss.

They come in 22 natural colors, ranging from pure white to browns and grays and black. They can have a uniform color or be pinto in two or more colors. The fiber is sheered once a year and can give up to 12 pounds of fiber that is of an exquisite softness and is very warm. Due to selective breeding the fiber is getting finer and finer. Also it has a sheen that in some instances can be compared to silk.

There are two different classes of alpaca: huacaya and suri. The huacaya is fluffier because the fiber grows perpendicular to the skin, and there is so much of it that the alpaca looks like a teddy bear with a long neck. The suri has fiber that hangs in long locks, which gives them the appearance of a big silky tassel.

They are herd animals and are only happy when they are with at least a few others. They communicate to each other with different sounds. The humming sound is the more common and they use it in different occasions: when they are separated from the mother or the herd, when the female is about to give birth, and when they are happy and there is no apparent reason to communicate. The mothers have a clucking sound to call their babies. And there is a very high intensity call (a screech) when there is danger, at which the herd runs and huddles together.

The females have one baby a year after a pregnancy that lasts 11 months. The birthing process usually occurs in the morning hours, so the baby, called a cria, gets warmer and dries with the sun. This way it gets ready to join the herd in no time and thirty minutes later is wobbling after the mother. Due to special biological characteristics, the baby has a six-hour window to nurse and acquire the antibodies that the mother passes on through the colostrum (first milk). After that period the lining of the gut becomes gradually impermeable to these proteins.

Multiple births are very rare and usually only one baby survives. In the last year there were three known instances of twins, in Canada, Australia and USA with survival of both offspring under the loving care of their owners.

Alpacas are resilient animals. Resistance to cold and poor nutrition has helped them adapt to the highlands of South America. They live at twelve to fourteen thousand feet, where the pastures are scarce and lack of oxygen can raise havoc in people not used to these altitudes, not to mention that even during summertime the temperatures at night go down to below freezing! They have padded feet, a feature that allows them to graze without damaging the delicate ecological system of the highlands.

Their rich fiber is recognized worldwide as one of the most luxurious natural fibers. Coveted by the fashion industry, it fetches high prices in the market. Its uses also include household items like blankets, rugs, upholstery, and so forth.

All their qualities make alpacas a precious animal, whose breeding and management is undoubtedly a very rewarding experience. The recognition and economical potential of this animal is developing at fast pace in the US thanks to the efforts of the American Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.