Alpaca

The alpaca (or Vicugna pacos) is a small, domesticated camelid species originating from the Andes regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. It was domesticated thousands of years ago by native South American peoples, who used alpaca fleece to create clothing. Alpacas have a long, slender neck and long legs. Their whole body is covered in thick wool, except for the face, sometimes giving them the appearance of having a ‘hairdo’. The wool may be any shade of white, red, brown, or black. Colouration may be solid or piebald. Male and female alpacas look alike, standing 80cm to 100cm tall and weighing between 48kg and 90kg.