# Alpaca — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Vicugna pacos (Linnaeus, 1758)*

> The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated Andean camelid kept for its fine fleece; descended from the vicuña, it has been farmed for over 6,000 years in Peru, Bolivia and neighbouring countries.

**IUCN status:** Domesticated — wild ancestor vicuña Least Concern  ·  **WARN range:** Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Weight | 55–65 kg |
| Fleece types | Huacaya (crimped) and Suri (silky locks) |
| Fleece colours | 22 natural shades |
| Altitude | 3,500–5,000 m in the Andes |
| Wild ancestor | Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) |
| CITES | Appendix I (wild vicuña) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Camelidae
- **Genus:** Vicugna
- **Species:** Vicugna pacos (Linnaeus, 1758)

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Domesticated — not assessed. Wild vicuña ancestor Least Concern after recovery from near extinction.
- **Population:** Roughly 3.7 million in Peru; ~4 million globally
- **Trend:** Stable — commercial livestock
- **Assessed:** 2014 (vicuña)
- **CITES:** Appendix I (wild vicuña)
- Vicuña recovery through community chaku shearing is a conservation success story.

## Key facts: Alpaca
- Alpacas are domesticated camelids descended from the wild vicuña.
- Peru holds roughly 3.7 million alpacas — the world's largest population.
- Two fleece types: Huacaya (crimped) and Suri (silky locks).
- Alpaca fleece is lanolin-free, hypoallergenic and thermally efficient.
- Wild vicuñas were hunted to near extinction before community recovery programmes.
- Alpacas are social herd animals that hum, click and spit when agitated.

## Domestication and Andean heritage
Alpacas were domesticated in the Andean highlands more than 6,000 years ago, alongside llamas — which descend from the guanaco. Genetic studies confirm the alpaca's primary ancestor is the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), the smallest and finest-fleeced wild camelid.

Inca civilisation managed alpaca herds on a vast scale, weaving fleece into textiles reserved for royalty. Spanish colonisation disrupted traditional management, but indigenous communities maintained alpaca husbandry. Today Peru produces roughly 80% of the world's alpaca fibre, supporting an estimated 120,000 farming families.

## Huacaya and Suri breeds
Two breed types dominate commercial alpaca farming. Huacaya alpacas — roughly 90% of the global population — have dense, crimped fleece giving a fluffy appearance.

Suri alpacas have silky, pencil-thin locks that hang in dreadlock-like strands and command premium prices. Both breeds come in 22 natural fleece colours from white through fawn, brown, grey and black. Shearing occurs annually, yielding 1.5–3 kg of fleece per animal. Alpaca fibre is lanolin-free, making it hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin.

## Husbandry and behaviour
Alpacas are social herd animals that become stressed in isolation. They communicate through soft hums, alarm calls, clucking and body posture — ears back and tail raised signal irritation. Alpacas spit regurgitated stomach contents at each other during hierarchy disputes; they rarely spit at humans unless mishandled. They graze grasses and hay at high altitude, using a three-compartment stomach efficient at extracting nutrients from coarse forage. Dung piles in communal latrines reduce parasite spread.

## Wild vicuña conservation
While alpacas themselves are domesticated, their wild ancestor the vicuña was hunted to fewer than 10,000 individuals by the 1960s for fine fleece. CITES Appendix I protection and community-based chaku round-ups — shearing wild vicuñas and releasing them — recovered populations to over 350,000. This model of sustainable wild fibre harvesting is a conservation success story. Alpaca farming reduces pressure on wild vicuñas by meeting commercial demand through domestic stock.

## Related WARN guides
Alpacas are domesticated camelids — read WARN's llama guide for the larger pack camelid, camel page for Old World relatives, and horse guide for other working animals WARN supports.

Wild vicuña conservation underpins alpaca fibre heritage.

Working animal welfare principles apply wherever alpacas carry loads or trek with tourists.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes this alpaca guide as free public education. The vicuña recovery story — wild ancestor of the alpaca — illustrates how community-based conservation can reverse extinction trajectories.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Alpaca
### What is the difference between an alpaca and a llama?
Alpacas are smaller (55–65 kg), with finer fleece and shorter faces, bred for fibre. Llamas are larger (130–200 kg), with coarser fleece, bred as pack animals. Alpacas descend from vicuñas; llamas from guanacos.

### Where do alpacas live?
Alpacas are domesticated and kept on high-altitude pastures in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador, typically at 3,500–5,000 m elevation. Small populations exist on farms worldwide.

### Are alpacas wild animals?
No. Alpacas have been domesticated for over 6,000 years. Their wild ancestor is the vicuña, which survives in the Andes and has recovered from near extinction through conservation programmes.

### Why is alpaca fleece valuable?
Alpaca fleece is fine, lanolin-free, hypoallergenic and thermally efficient — warmer than sheep wool by weight. Suri fleece in particular commands premium prices in luxury textiles.

### Do alpacas spit?
Yes. Alpacas spit regurgitated stomach contents at each other during hierarchy disputes. They rarely spit at humans unless frightened or mishandled.

### How many alpacas are there?
Peru alone holds roughly 3.7 million alpacas — about 80% of the global population. Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador hold most of the remainder.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Vicugna vicugna (vicuña)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22956/94151572)
- [Food and Agriculture Organization — camelids](https://www.fao.org/)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — alpaca](https://www.britannica.com/animal/alpaca)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/alpaca