Of all the animals found in the Americas prior to European colonization, llamas and their alpaca cousins had the most influence. Alpacas and wild vicunas are similar in size, fiber and dentition (teeth). Researchers believe that alpacas were developed through selective breeding that was heavily influenced by the vicuna more than 6,000 years ago. Two wild species, vicunas and guanacos, still live in the Andes today.
A common ancestor to the South American camelids migrated there about 2.5 million years ago. This family of animals originated on the plains of North America about 10 million years ago. Aside from this difference in tooth morphology, sexual dimorphism is minimal in alpacas.Īlpacas are one of the domesticated members of the camel (camelid) family, which also includes llamas, guanacos and vicunas from South America, and the Bactrian and Dromedary camels from Asia and Africa. These teeth do not develop as much in females. An adult male alpaca's upper and lower incisors and lower canines develop into fighting teeth or fangs that can be more than 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) long.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo exhibits huacaya alpaca. The suri is rarer with only about 5,000 registered in the United States. Suris have straight fiber that curls toward the ground, hanging in "dreadlocks." However, because of their finer, less dense coat, the suri is not quite as adept at withstanding severe weather. Their crimpy fiber grows perpendicular to the skin, giving them a wooly appearance. Ninety-five percent of alpacas are huacayas. The two types of alpacas are huacaya and suri.
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They are covered in a soft fleece that is virtually free of guard hair and occurs in a variety of colors. Alpacas have soft, padded feet that leave even the most delicate grasses and terrain undamaged as they graze. Alpacas are slender-bodied animals with long legs and necks, small heads and large, pointed ears.
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