What is an Alpaca? What is the difference between an Alpaca and a Llama?
The Alpaca is one of two domesticated breeds of South American Camelid. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger in size, and has a long erect neck with a handsome head. The four species of indigenous South American fiber-bearing animals are the llama, the alpaca, the guanaco and the vicua. The llama and the alpaca are domesticated; the guanaco and the vicua run wild. Of the four, the alpaca and the vicua are the most valuable wool-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and quantity of its wool, and the vicua because of the softness, fineness and quality of its coat. Due to the widespread devastation of South America during the Spanish conquest in the 1500’s (approximately 90% of domestic camelids as well as 80% of the human population disappeared before 1600) and the fact that the indigenous peoples have no written language, we are still unsure of how exactly the Alpaca originated. There are currently three accepted theories, these are depicted in the evolutionary
