The alpaca originates from the Andes Mountains in South America, and is descended from the vicuña, while the llama is descended from the guanaco.

Used for their fur, there are two types of alpaca: suris and huacayas.

Alpaca wool is a very high-end fiber, softer, warmer, stronger and lighter than sheep’s wool. It is internationally recognized as one of the world’s finest and most luxurious fibers.

Even though small camelids are not classified in the ruminant family (3 stomachs instead of 4 in true ruminants), they still ruminate.

They feed mainly on grass and hay. They can eat any type of grass, even low-quality ones. In fact, their digestive system is much more efficient than that of any other ruminant.

There are several varieties of alpaca, depending on the quality of the wool. You can see suri alpacas at the camelerie.