Alpaca Picture

In an Alpaca picture you can see an animal resembling a llama, but smaller in size. Alpacas for many centuries were kept in large flocks in the Andes. These animals are kept at elevations of 3500 to 5000 meters above the sea level. They are sure-footed and well adapted to the harsh conditions of high altitudes. The main beauty of Alpacas is their fine long coat. While llamas, their close relatives, are rather versatile and can be used for carrying heavy loads and guarding the property, Alpacas can only be family pets and playing companions for children.

It’s evident from an Alpaca picture that this animal is valued for its wool. Many tribes in South America made blankets and ponchos of llama and Alpaca wool. Andean farmers also use Alpaca meat as a source of protein, but in the USA these animals are too rare and valuable to kill them for meat.

Seeing an Alpaca picture is not enough when buying an Alpaca. You can see the animal’s coat color, but you will get no idea of its personality and fleece quality. There are many qualities of Alpaca fiber: Baby Royal Alpaca, Baby Alpaca, Alpaca Super Fine, Alpaca Fine Spinning, Alpaca Fleece, Alpaca Huarizo, and Alpaca AG. Kids aged 1 to 1.5 years produce the finest fiber, used for baby clothes. Adult males have coarse guard hair, which can only be used for rough blankets. Female Alpacas have a long gestation period and give birth to one kid every 2-3 years. Only keeping a herd of 10-15 Alpacas and shearing them yearly can bring a considerable profit to the owner.

Europeans first saw Alpaca yarn in the beginning of the 19th century, but it was condemned as an unworkable material. The true qualities of Alpaca wool could be developed only after the introduction of cotton warps. Bradford was and still is the great spinning and manufacturing center for Alpaca fiber in England. In the 19th century, Alpaca fiber was exported from Peru and other countries of South America. Many people didn’t have an opportunity to see an Alpaca picture and didn’t know that these animals can be friendly and undemanding pets.