The rare and exotic Alpaca is a creature of antiquity that is rapidly gaining popularity among people around the world.

Like the Llama, the Alpaca is bred primarily for its fiber. The hair of the Alpaca is always called 'fiber' as opposed to 'fur'. Unlike the Llama, the fiber of the Alpaca can be used for clothing. Alpaca fiber is as soft as cashmere and warmer than wool, without the prickle factor that some wool has. Many of the top end suits contain Alpaca fiber. Highly prized for their luxurious coats, the Alpaca is considered a treasure of the Andes Mountains. They are relatively long-lived mammals, and can live more than 25 years in captivity.

Alpacas are new world camelids, like Llamas, and are members of the camel family. They look somewhat like long-necked camels with no humps. They have shaggy necks and camel-like faces, with thick lips and pronounced noses. They have large, expressive eyes and long ears. There are two distinct types of Alpaca the Suri and Huacaya. The distinction between types is based on their fur. The Suri is often said to be the Alpaca with dreadlocks. Of the two types the Suri is considerably less common than the Huacaya. The Huacaya is the "teddy-bear" Alpaca and has a smooth wooly coat. Alpaca come in over 22 different natural colors shades, and can be bred for specific color. Their coats are highly prized in the fabric world - Alpaca sweaters are not only some of the most durable found anywhere in the world, they are also some of the softest and most comfortable you will find anywhere. Some analysts predict that it will be more popular than most other fabrics within the next 10 years due to its durability and comfort. Alpacas are highly prized livestock and treated very, very well in most situations. The average mature alpaca weighs between 125 and175 pounds and will measure somewhere between 34 and 38 inches tall at the withers. At birth the small baby (called a Cria) is only 15 to 19 pounds. The average lifespan of the Alpaca is between 20 and 25 years.

The Alpaca originally comes from South America, specifically the countries of Bolivia, Chile and Peru. They are native to the Andes Mountains. The history of the Alpaca is long, rich and colorful. They have been used to perform many tasks over the years. Their history spans thousands of years. The Alpaca was an important part of the ancient Incan civilization that existed 500 years before the building of the Roman Empire. The Alpaca were even used by Pre-Incan nobility. In spite of their rich history they were not well known worldwide until recently, not even seen in the United States until as recently as 1983. Currently, they have been bred heavily throughout the world, with numbers reaching beyond 2.5 million. They have been imported into every major country, with about 17,000 of them existing in the United States, kept by breeders. There are several strong Alpaca organizations world wide that are helping owners to establish strong lines of Alpaca.

Alpacas are not difficult to keep when compared to other types of livestock. They are amazingly adaptive and can live in the coldest of conditions. Keep plenty of shade around. A general rule of thumb is to have three walls, with a small roof to keep them out of the sun. Keep a few fans handy - your llama will need them if it's too humid out. They do not eat much. They should have an adequate supply of grass to graze on. Monitor how much protein they are taking in; their diet should be low in protein. The diet can be supplemented with low protein hay. Alfalfa is relatively high in protein, so should be fed sparingly. It is a good idea to give them grain to provide the vitamins they are not getting from the grass and hay. Keep a fence around your Alpaca Llamas, about five feet high. You can keep up to 10 llamas on one acre of land. Make sure you know a vet nearby who knows their llamas - they should not need medical attention, but if they do, be prepared.

The female Alpaca reaches sexual maturity between 14 months and three years of age. The male is sexually mature a little later between one and a half and four years of age. After mating the female will undergo a gestation period of about 11 months (330 days). They will generally give birth to single offspring called "cria". Multiple births among Alpaca are extremely rare. Delivery usually occurs during the daytime and rarely requires the assistance of humans.