Alpaca vicuña. Such an amazing animal - the Peruvian alpaca

In a fit of nostalgia for many months of travel, I reviewed my notes and photos from. Due to the fact that much was not published then, and later came out only in, I decided to post some episodes. Today I will talk about the camels of South America.

Yes, yes, you heard right! On that distant continent there are real camels. The camelid family of South America consists of the llama, guanaco, alpaca, and vicuña. At the same time, llamas are domesticated guanacos, and alpacas are domesticated vicuñas. So, how to distinguish them from each other?!

Lama

The height of an adult male at the withers is approximately 120 cm. The neck is rather thin, the head is small, usually raised high, and the ears are high and pointed. In domestic llamas, the coat is quite soft, of medium length; the color varies from pure white to black-brown.

Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never milked or loaded.

The llama differs from the alpaca in its larger size and more elongated head. Llama fur, unlike alpaca, has no value. The llama is mainly used as a beast of burden.

Alpaca

The growth of alpacas does not exceed one meter, they weigh about 70 kg and have a soft and long fleece (on the sides, its length reaches 15–20 cm).

Alpacas are grown for shearing wool, from which warm and soft blankets, blankets and clothes are made. Fur is used to make items for the home.

Alpaca wool at a textile factory in Arequipa, Peru

Guanaco

An animal of slender, light build, in proportion resembling a deer or antelope, but with a more elongated neck. The long neck of the guanaco serves as a balancer when walking and running. Body length 120–175 cm, height at withers 90–130 cm; weight - 115–140 kg. Guanaco is capable of speeds up to 56 km / h.

Vicuna

Outwardly, the vicuña resembles the guanaco, but is smaller and more slender. The vicuña is 150 cm long, about a meter tall, and weighs 50 kg. The back of the vicuña is painted light brown, below it is lighter.

The anatomical feature of the vicuña is the lower incisor teeth, which, like those of rodents, are constantly growing.

Friends, in our store you can find clothes made of natural llama wool, alpaca and cotton, made in Ecuador.

Ecuador is a small country, but despite this, it has several natural areas: the Pacific coast, the Amazon jungle and the Andes. It is in the Andes at an altitude of 3000-3500 m that llamas and alpacas live. These animals outwardly resemble a camel and are its close relatives. Alpacas and llamas were domesticated by the Incas over 5,000 years ago. Clothing made from the wool of these animals helped them to survive in the highlands, where temperature drops at night and day can reach 30 degrees. It was these woolen fabrics, colorful and light, that the Spaniards drew attention to and sent them to Europe along with gold and silver.
For the first time, llamas were brought to Europe, to the court of the Spanish king Charles the Fifth, by Francisco Pizarro himself - as one of the proofs of the existence of the then not yet found state of "Piru". Apparently, the appearance of lamas at the royal court made a splash. In the following decades, many Spanish nobles kept llamas as exotics in their palaces. When you see a llama, your hands reach out to stroke her, gently pat her blond mane, look into her sad eyes.

The llama has a fairly large size, the height of an adult male at the withers reaches 120 cm. Therefore, initially they were used by the Incas only as cargo animals. At present, llama wool is very widely used, it is used to make clothes, carpets, pillows, toys, etc. Llama wool fibers have small curls that give the fur softness and tenderness, as well as provide air spaces that create insulation and warmth, keep optimal humidity in the range comfortable for wearing, and when moisture gets on the product, repel it. Due to the fact that the fibers do not contain fat, products made from it are less polluted and easily washed, practically without shrinkage. For the same reason, dust mites that cause allergies do not start in this wool, and carpets and bedspreads remain clean for a long time.

Alpaca differs from llama in smaller sizes, its height does not exceed one meter, they weigh about 70 kilograms and have a soft and long fleece (its length reaches 15-20 cm on the sides). Animals are primarily raised for wool, meat and milk. Like a sheep, they are sheared once a year to collect wool, which is used to make sweaters, suits and other high-quality clothing.
Alpaca wool is three times stronger and seven times warmer than sheep wool. The fiber has the largest range of natural shades (about 20) from white and pale pink, cream and burgundy to dark brown and black, with a silky sheen. White wool is well dyed, the product does not shed during wear, because only natural dyes are used. Animal fur is divided into several types: Royal Alpaca - fiber diameter 19 microns, Baby Alpaca - fiber diameter 22.5 microns, Very soft Alpaca - fiber diameter 25.5 microns and Adult Alpaca - 32 microns. These names do not reflect the age of the animals or other phenotypic characteristics. For example, the name ‘Baby’ is used for yarn, fabric, etc. where the average fiber size is 22.5 microns. Optionally, this fur is obtained from small alpacas, it can be the fur of an adult animal, but with thin hair.
Very often, alpaca and llama wool are mixed with other materials: cotton and acrylic, thanks to which warm clothes after long wear and washing look neat, no pellets form on it.
Lama and alpaca give us very soft, thick and pleasant to the touch fur, which also has a healing gift. The llama's hair is surprisingly thin and soft, its touches on the body are pleasant, thanks to which the llama is able to positively influence the emotional state of the owner of the thing. Lama improves mood, relieves irritability, excitability, irascibility, normalizes blood pressure, increases resistance to colds.
Clothing made from llama and alpaca wool is pleasant to the touch, does not cause allergies, is easy to care for, does not deform or fade over time. Due to the unique property of alpaca and llama to maintain a comfortable temperature, clothing made from their wool is indispensable in a changing climate.

Six thousand years ago, people tamed the wild llama and gave it the name alpaca. Looking at a photo of an alpaca, it is impossible to imagine that this cute face can be a wild animal.

Science says that alpacas are descended from. Both of these animals are distant relatives. The first mention of alpacas appeared a thousand years before the construction of the Egyptian pyramids in the city of Giza. Just imagine how ancient this animal is!

What does an alpaca look like

In height, this animal grows no more than 104 centimeters. The weight of the alpaca is also not large - from 55 to 65 kilograms.

The main advantage of this domesticated llama is its wool. If you look at the photo of the animal, it is not difficult to guess why people appreciate it. Alpaca resembles a curly sheep, so cute, with funny curls all over her body. Alpaca wool can be of different shades: from light, almost white, to brown.

Where does the offspring of the vicuña live?

South America is considered the territory of residence of this mammal. Alpaca got along well in the forests and mountainous areas of Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. But the territory of the South American continent is only the original area, currently alpaca is bred all over the world.

What does an alpaca eat and how does it behave?

These animals lead a herd life. All active life takes place during daylight hours. With the onset of night, the animals lie down to rest. And they have reason for this: in the evening, alpacas need to chew all the food eaten during the day, because these animals are ruminants.

Listen to the voice of the alpaca

As already mentioned, alpacas feel comfortable in the mountains. Thick fur protects them from the cold, thanks to which the animals are not afraid of temperature fluctuations.

Alpacas feed exclusively on plant foods. They eat bushes, weeds, grass, tree branches and their leaves.

How does alpacas reproduce?

The social organization of these mammals is such that some kind of harems are formed during the mating season. The male leader, who has designated himself the leader, can mate with all the females from his "harem". There are frequent cases of fights and fierce fights for leadership in such a marriage community. This process can be observed quite often, because the mating season for alpacas lasts all year round.

A fertilized female South American domestic llama bears a cub for about 11 months. After the allotted time, one baby is born, who is able to stand up in just an hour.

When born, an alpaca cub weighs one kilogram, but after nine months, the babies reach a mass of already 30 kilograms. Such rapid growth occurs, among other things, due to prolonged breastfeeding.

When an alpaca baby is born, its coat is a delicate cream color. But sometimes, with age, the color of the coat becomes darker.

The female alpaca brings offspring only once every two years. In nature, these cute curly llamas live up to 25 years. When alpacas are kept for agricultural purposes, their life usually ends at the age of seven.

What kinds of furs you will not see on the fragile shoulders of fashion models. Among them is llama - fur that decorates, warms, soothes and even heals. But first things first.

- a genus of artiodactyl animals of the camelid family.
A South American mammal domesticated by the Andean Indians, along with camels and vicuñas, one of the three genera of the camelid family (Camelidae). Unlike camels, they do not have a hump. Despite the lack of a hump, llamas have many features in common with camels: canine-shaped incisors in the upper jaw, callused pads on the soles of cloven hooves (adaptation to rocky ground). The llama differs from the alpaca in its larger size and more elongated head. Tamed in the Central Andes. Played an important role in the cattle breeding of the Incas. In addition, llamas provide thick and fatty healing milk, which can sometimes serve as the only source of food for the Indians living high in the mountains.

The height of an adult male at the withers is 120 cm. The neck is long and thin, the head is relatively small, usually raised high, and the ears are high and pointed. Domestic llamas have soft, shaggy hair of medium length; the suit varies from pure white to black-brown and piebald.

The llama is not as strong as a donkey and not as fast as a horse. And yet, like a beast of burden, she surpasses them both. The species is still used today to transport heavy loads across the ridges on trails that are inaccessible to modern transport. Only males are loaded: one animal carries 27-60 kg per day for a distance of approx. 24 km. If the lama feels that the load is too heavy for her, she simply sits down and does not get up until she considers that the load is within her power. If anyone tries to force her to stand up, she will regurgitate what is contained in the first of her three stomachs and spit at that one with amazing accuracy and strength.

Female llamas are used only for breeding: they are never loaded. The mating season is in September. After a pregnancy lasting 10-11 months, one cub is usually born. His mother feeds him with milk for six weeks, and llamas reach sexual maturity at three years.

The meat of the male Incas was eaten, but only on special occasions, and the females were never slaughtered. During religious holidays, male cubs were sacrificed to the gods. The supreme god Viracocha was supposed to be brown, the god of lightning Ilhape - piebald (under the color of a stormy sky), and the god of the sun Inti - white.

Llama is an unusually fluffy animal that gives us very soft, thick and pleasant to the touch fur, which, moreover, is not afraid of moisture, and even vice versa, after getting wet, it becomes more lively, prettier, twists more tightly into a spiral. Due to its fluffiness, llama is usually used in combination with other materials - sheepskin, goat.

In general, llama - fur is very unpretentious and is well kept. When purchasing a product with a llama finish, you should rather pay attention to the material with which the llama is combined - it is he who dictates the storage conditions.

Sheepskin coats decorated with llama fur are especially good. For the popularization of this image, it is worth saying special thanks to the hippie movement. It was they who, at the end of the sixties of the last century, brought into fashion embroidered Afghan sheepskin coats and sheepskin coats trimmed with Tibetan lama fur. The fashion for such products regularly returns, winning fans among new generations.

Surprisingly, the llama has every chance of becoming a favorite fur for older people as well. The reason for this is the extraordinary healing gift possessed by the llama fur. The llama's hair is surprisingly thin and soft, its touches on the body are especially pleasant. Thanks to this, the llama has the ability to positively influence the emotional state of the hostess. Lama improves mood, relieves irritability, excitability and irascibility. Products made of fur and llama wool normalize blood pressure, increase resistance to colds.

For the first time, llamas were brought to Europe, to the court of the Spanish king Charles the Fifth, by Francisco Pizarro himself - as one of the proofs of the existence of the then unfound state of "Piru". Apparently, the appearance of lamas at the royal court made a splash. In the following decades, many Spanish nobles kept llamas as exotics in their palaces.(ads3)

In the famous novel by Alexandre Dumas "Fencing Master" one of the characters goes to travel to South America - including to admire these outlandish animals.

Another little-known interesting fact is connected with llamas - scientists believe that Peruvian Indians adopted the common habit of chewing coca leaves from llamas, who still never miss a chance to chew "invigorating" leaves.

But outside of Latin America, the llama, like centuries ago, is exotic. A small llama costs more than a huge Indian elephant - this is how one of the Russian companies that satisfies the needs of Russian millionaires brings llamas to order - officially, but they cost from 20 to 40 thousand dollars. After all, there are not even cute llamas in all zoos in the world.

Tourists who come to Peru usually cannot help stroking the llama, gently rubbing her blond mane, looking into her sad eyes. Therefore, now llamas are also used in tourism - llamas accompany tourist routes, giving them a unique flavor of the exotic.

Lamas are also kept by many farmers in Europe (for example, Denmark) - among ordinary cows and sheep. This is a tribute to fashion - for one of the exotic animals to live among ordinary livestock.

- a domestic artiodactyl animal descended from the vicuña (vigoni). The growth of alpacas does not exceed one meter, they weigh about 70 kilograms and have a soft and long fleece (its length reaches 15-20 cm on the sides). They live in the Andes at an altitude of 3500-5000 meters, in Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Chile and northern Bolivia. The alpaca is a graceful and intelligent animal with a long neck that has been bred for its warm and luxurious wool for over 5,000 years. Alpacas, like Lama, belong to the camel family and live in the highlands of the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level. To survive in these harsh natural conditions, alpacas have a "coat" of thick, incredibly warm and soft wool. Today, almost three million alpacas live in South America (85% of them in Peru). Animals are primarily raised for wool, meat and milk. Like a sheep, they are sheared once a year to collect the world-famous warm wool from which sweaters, suits and other clothes are made. Alpaca is also a source of fur, from which carpets, bedspreads, pillows, toys and other home furnishings are made. Alpaca fur is rarely used in the production of outerwear, but is often found as a finishing material.

Alpaca wool is highly valued in the yarn market, thanks to its high quality, which has proven itself in long-term use. Alpaca wool is three times stronger and seven times warmer than sheep wool. Living high in the mountains, where the temperature difference between day and night reaches 30 degrees, the alpaca has warmer fur than other animal species. The fibers contain small curls that give the fur softness and tenderness, as well as provide air spaces that create insulation and warmth. In addition, unlike merino wool, Alpaca fur is completely free of lanolin and other organic fats. This means that dust mites do not live in it and the fur does not cause allergies associated with dust mites. Therefore, fluff and warm clothing made of alpaca wool is not only wear-resistant, pleasant to the touch, but also does not cause allergic reactions of the human body, and it also has healing properties. It is best if this long shiny coat is combined with other materials. By itself, this yarn is quite expensive, however, in combination with other artificial fibers, alpaca wool especially shows its positive qualities and demonstrates its superiority more clearly.

Products made of alpaca wool mixed with other materials are, first of all, immediately noticeable in their appearance. Warm clothes, after prolonged wear and washing, remain neat and tidy, the material does not roll and does not form frightening spools, because of which you have to give up an exclusive item.

Oil-free alpaca fur is very stain resistant, so carpets, bedspreads and any other product made from this fur will stay clean for a long time.

In nature, there are two types of Alpaca: Suri (Suri) and Huacaya (Wakaya). Animals differ only in appearance of wool. The fur itself is divided into several types: a fiber with a diameter of 19 microns is called "Royal Alpaca", 22.5 microns - "Baby Alpaca", 25.5 microns - "Super Soft Alpaca", 32 microns "Adult Alpaca". These names do not reflect the age of the animals or other phenotypic characteristics. For example, the name ‘Baby’ is used for yarn, fabric, etc. where the average fiber size is 22.5 microns. Optionally, this fur is obtained from small alpacas, it can be the fur of an adult animal, but with thin hair.

This unique fiber has the largest range of natural colors in nature (over 22 shades) that range from black to grey, burgundy, brown, cream and white. Alpaca fibers are straighter than sheep's wool, not squeaky and are extremely rich and silky with a subtle sheen. These qualities are not found in any other type of fur. Products made of alpaca fur will fill you with feelings of warmth and security.

And so, to summarize: although alpacas and llamas are cousins, they are completely different.

Comparative characteristics of alpaca and llama
Alpaca	Lama
Weight up to 150 kg	Weight up to 400 kg
Has a very soft, fine, uniform coat, of medium length	Llama wool is also thin, but long, coarser and shaggy, and very heterogeneous in quality.
Very gentle and timid animal in need of protection	A strong and brave animal, the male is the guard of the herd
Raised solely for its valuable wool and meat	In addition to wool, their meat, skins are being promoted on the market, they are also used as beasts of burden.

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Few people know, but the camel family includes llamas. There are probably no such close relatives as the alpaca. You can guess this only by the shape of the muzzle and gait. This species was bred by selective breeding. Reason: Get a pet with high quality wool. Alpaca is an animal that is classified as artiodactyl and mammal. The progenitors of the first representative were vigon and vicuña. The last parent is of the calloused camelid class.

Alpaca contains all the best qualities that you can think of. She is clean, friendly and calm. In the photo and video you can see all the positive features of the animal. If a camel is a little apathetic towards a person, then for a llama of this species, communication is a pleasure and delight.

Where can you meet? Since this is a domestic animal, it is bred in Peru for wool. In Russia and other countries, they live in zoos. Although recently farms have also appeared in Moscow, where people come to see and chat with cuties. Children love to stroke them, in response, the llamas are very gentle and careful with the kids and their gentle hug.

Breeding has only one goal: to get wool. In order to extract a meat product, they are not suitable. Therefore, all llamas live to a ripe old age, especially since the coat does not change with age and the owner receives the necessary product.

Alpaca contains all the best qualities you can think of.

There are approximately 3 million heads in Peru. Here they lived and live happily ever after. But in other countries, the llama came by chance and recently. More use for display. Where else does the alpaca live? You can often find:

• in the Andes;
• Chile;
• Bolivia;
• in Ecuador.

From the description, you can immediately determine that an alpaca llama is standing in front of the visitor. They are not high. Maximum 100-104 cm. Body weight is also not very large: up to 65 kg males. But the females are slightly smaller: 10-15 kg. At the same time, there is absolutely no difference in the quality of wool. It is curly in both sexes, soft and pleasant to the touch. Curls resemble a lamb, only bigger. Different shades of color and this is the norm. So you can meet a white llama or brown, gray or light brown.

How to tell an alpaca from a real llama

Often people confuse the two species: the ancestral llama and the descendant of the vicuña. But if you look closely, put the two subjects under study, then the difference is significant. In this case, both species belong to the genus camelids:

Interesting fact! When two species of camelids are crossed, a rather obedient individual is obtained - uarizo. However, it is not very suitable for breeding and work. If the llama is considered a pack animal capable of carrying heavy loads and pulling carts, and the alpaca is bred for the purpose of obtaining wool. The resulting hybrid does not have any of these qualities.

Llama and alpaca get along well together, while performing different functions. Often the first representatives of the animal world are specially taken to the herd so that they look after their relatives. They are distinguished by a severe character and keep small sheep-camels under control.

Goodwill and hospitality are not so important, although they play a big role for breeders. The main advantage of the breed is still wool. The fleece is soft and long. It can reach 20-25 cm on the sides. Suitable not only for spinning in the form of yarn and fabric warps. More rough - goes to felt.

A good point is that the haircut is carried out three times a year. Such a number of haircuts is also allowed for sheep. At the same time, the difference in heat transfer of fabric obtained from alpaca is seven times greater. It is valuable precisely because in the cold season it is able to retain heat for a long time. Plus, clothes made from such wool are worn three times longer than those obtained from a llama or a sheep.

The main advantage of the breed is wool.

Dignity can be considered natural tones: up to fifty shades. White is the most popular, as it can be repainted in any color. White is popular, but not uncommon. The sale of such a rune is much more expensive, which pushes breeders to buy albinos specifically and make sure that crossing with other colors does not occur.

But that's not all. Alpaca wool has the following properties:

• does not allow moisture to penetrate, as it repels it;
• light and soft. It does not prick or irritate the body at all;
• long time does not give in to pollution;
• suitable for literally everyone and is not allergenic;
• the absence of lanolin affects long-term wear and excellent perception of wool by the human epidermis.

Such a high quality of the product distinguishes it from most natural fabrics. More durable and comfortable clothes can not be found. The cost of goods made from such fabric is higher than usual, but justifies itself. The material is suitable not only for clothes, but also for blankets and carpets. In addition to long-term cleanliness, it provides heating during cold weather and cooling in hot weather, does not roll or shed. When buying, you should verify the authenticity. To do this, in addition to the Alpaca label, it is worth probing for softness and causticity.

As already mentioned, this species was bred by breeders. But this does not prevent the animals from leading a semi-wild lifestyle. Most often still found on farms. If the alpaca lives a semi-free life, then it allows a person to approach itself in order to free itself from the woolen cover. Catching is not always easy, as this type of llama tries to climb higher into the mountains.

nature and animal

It has a herd character. They cannot live in small flocks. At the same time, it has a head - a male and up to 10 females in one herd. Babies don't count. There is a hierarchy, where there is a struggle for ranks and superiority. But all this is not accompanied by strong aggression. They lead a daytime lifestyle, and at night rest promotes the digestion of food and feed absorbed during the day. Communication between individuals occurs through body language. The tilt and movement of not only the body, but also the ears and neck are taken into account.

Lamas are characterized by herd character

They avoid danger and try to leave those places where they feel it. Pastures should be arranged only on a horizontal surface high in the mountains, where there are no predators and the grass is cleaner and juicier. They are not afraid of the cold due to their fur and the structure of red blood cells (oval shape). They survive well high in the mountains, since the liquefied air does not pose a danger to them.

Life in captivity

Good disposition provides excellent breeding in captivity. They always find a language with a person and demonstrate their curiosity and peacefulness. Some owners independently compare them with. The same cute and positive, while they can be shy.

Everyone knows that camels and llamas often spit. This does not apply to alpacas. They may spit, but rarely and when needed (to relieve stomach acid). At the same time, spitting will never be directed at a person, while a camel is deliberately able to stain someone he does not like. There is another remarkable quality: such a spit will be directed at a congener at the moment when the female is pregnant. She can also dirty a person, only in order to protect her baby.

Good temper ensures excellent captive breeding

The cleanliness of the species is noticed by everyone. So farmers equip toilets in paddocks. Where all individuals go to relieve themselves. They love water treatments. They splash on their own and just rest in the water. If you heard funny sounds while visiting such a farm, then this can be called a rarity. They resemble bleating and serve as a signal of danger. Breeding today is popular not only for the purpose of obtaining wool, but also as animal therapy. It has been proven that a child or adult petting and playing with an alpaca relieves stress, calms down and removes all fears. Therapy is much better than starting on your own.

Feeding and breeding

Wild animals live long enough: up to about 25 years. In captivity, the terms can be reduced to 15 and even up to 7 years. In order for the animal to live longer and please the owner, it is necessary to provide them with the right diet and conditions. There are two subspecies: Suri and Huacaya. The latter representatives are more common and resemble teddy bears. The nutrition of both subspecies is no different and resembles that of a horse. Not pretentious, love young, juicy grass. The most favorite dish is moss and young shoots. But herbaceous plants will all be included in the diet. As well as salt licks, leaves and flowers.

Feeding will not be heavy, does not hit the pocket. The fact is that the animals absorb as much as possible per day up to 2 kg of grass or hay, but taking into account the weight - 55-60 kg. The less weight, the less he eats. So, when calculating the annual feeding, one adult individual accounts for no more than 450-500 kg of feed. This rule is conditional. After all, not only age is always taken into account, but also gender, pregnancy or lactation.

Breeding is easy. These representatives do not have a specific time for mating games. Everything happens within a year. In any case, the leader will cover all females capable of producing offspring in 12 months. A harem can contain a large number of females. When a male appears, the owner is obliged to ensure that the young are separated in a timely manner and create a new herd with a leader and a harem. Otherwise fights for the right of superiority will be observed. And this significantly spoils the wool.

Do not think that there will be many young animals. Females are prone to miscarriage. With proper care, feeding and maintenance, you can achieve the birth of several babies from one female. The gestation period reaches 11 months. During this period, it is better to excommunicate pregnant women from the general herd. Babies are born weighing up to one kilogram. They quickly master and gain body weight. So by the age of 9 months they can weigh up to 35 kg. During this period, the mother stops breastfeeding the baby.