Alpaca Facts | Alpaca Husbandry | Alpaca History | Alpaca Types | Alpaca Health
- Alpacas were first found in Peru over 6000 years ago.
- They evolved from the wild guanaco and vicuna and for thousands of years have co-existed with humans as a domesticated livestock providing food, fuel and clothing.
- Alpacas played an integral part in the culture and lifestyle of the Incas and other Indian tribes and were selectively bred for their fibre density and range of colour.
- Garments made from alpaca fibre were reserved for Incan royalty.
- With the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 17th century, the Incan civilization and the alpaca were almost wiped out.
- All available grazing land were taken over by merino sheep that had been introduced by the Spanish and the poor alpaca was forced to higher altitudes above 4000 metres.
- Although lower in numbers, these hardy alpacas adapted to the harsh climate and terrain and developed the ability to live on low protein vegetation where only the strongest survived.
- Today alpacas can be found in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England and various parts of Europe.
- The South American alpaca population has now grown to several million, the population in the rest of the world is less than 10% of this total.
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Alpaca Facts | Alpaca Husbandry | Alpaca History | Alpaca Types | Alpaca Health