Meet the Alpaca!
Who is this adorable, fluffy animal?
The alpaca belongs to the camelid family – that’s right, it’s related to camels! This family is divided into two groups:
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Large camelids: camels and dromedaries, mostly found in Africa and Asia.
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Small camelids: llamas and alpacas (domesticated), and their wild cousins the guanacos and vicuñas, originally from South America – especially from the Andes regions of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
Even though alpacas and llamas look alike, they each have their own unique traits:
🦙 Size: Alpacas are much smaller than llamas. They rarely grow taller than 90 cm (about 3 feet) and weigh between 70 and 80 kilos (150–175 lbs). Llamas can reach 1.20 meters (4 feet) and weigh up to 200 kilos (440 lbs)!
🧳 Pack animal or not? Alpacas are here for the fun – their backs aren't made to carry loads. Llamas, however, have been used as pack animals for centuries and can carry up to 40 kilos (about 90 lbs).
🦷 Teeth: An alpaca's front teeth grow continuously throughout its life. Sometimes, they need to be filed down. Llamas have a full set of permanent teeth by around five years old – just like humans!
👂 Ears: Take a closer look! Alpacas have short, pointy ears, while llamas have long, curved “banana-shaped” ears.
💚 Personality: Llamas are working animals and are usually easier to train. They’re more tolerant of handling – whether it’s shearing, brushing, nail trimming, or even carrying and riding. Alpacas are more sensitive and take a little more time to build trust – but once they do, they’re absolutely lovable.
Want to get to know them up close?
Join us for a walk, a picnic, or a cozy meet & greet – our alpacas can’t wait to meet you!