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There are two Breeds of Alpaca
Huacaya (pronounced Wa kaia)
Huacaya – the huacaya is characterised by a thick dense fleece growing perpendicularly from the body. Good huacaya fibre has a brightness or sheen and has a defined crimp throughout the blanket area.
Suri (pronounced Sooree)
Suri - the rare and prized suri alpaca is distinguishable by their long silky fibre that grows parallel to the body and looks like dread locks hanging in distinctive pencil locks.
Its softness and exquisite lustre commands a premium price on the world market. The world population of suri is only about 5% of that of the alpaca.
General
Alpacas are thought to have evolved from the wild guanaco and are generally smaller than the llama standing at just under a metre at the shoulder.
They grow a beautiful, heavy fleece of fine strong fibre that comes in 22 natural colours, from whites to fawns to browns, blacks and greys.
A fully fleeced alpaca has the look that just says cuddle me, although they really aren't that keen on cuddles. It's a beautiful and amazingly captivating animal and a good reason why so many lifestyle block farmers get them.
Because of their size alpaca are easy to handle and general tasks can be done with ease.
Alpaca fibre is world renowned for its softness of handle and lustre and is often called the "Fibre of the Gods"
The Other Camelids
Alpacas, llamas, guanacos and vicunas are part of the camel (camelid) family tree. Treasured by the ancient Inca civilisation, there are today about 2.5 million alpacas in the Andean Altiplano region of Peru, Chile and Bolivia.
Llamas
The llama is the largest of the camelid family weighing up to 180 kgs. They grow a long shaggy coat in a range of colours from black to white but including fawns, browns and greys. These beautiful animals with their distinctive ‘banana’ shaped ears are intelligent and strong and make a best companions.
Llamas were used by the Incas as beasts of burden, often carrying up to 45 kgs on the high Andean trails. We think of our Llamas as gentle giants.
Guanacos
The guanacos stand about 100cm at the shoulder and weigh around 90 kgs.
Unlike the alpaca and llama, they they have never been domesticated.
The guanaco is double coated with a coarse guard hair and soft undercoat which is very highly prized, even above the alpaca.
There is less of a colour range and the animal has a white underbelly, a grey face and small straight ears.
Vicunas
The vicuna is a wild animal and is considered by many as an endangered species.
Weighing in at 50-55 kgs and standing at about 90cm at the shoulder, they are the smallest of the camelid family.
The vicuna is cinnamon in colour with an apron of long white hair on its chest.
The vicuna grows the finest fibre of all animals.
It is highly prized, rare and commands extremely high prices on the world markets.
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