An alpaca standing in a managed pasture in Germany.

Alpaca in Börnste, Dülmen, Germany.

Creator: Dietmar Rabich

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Species record

Alpaca

Vicugna pacos

Explore the Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The Alpaca is a domesticated South American camelid developed in the Andes, especially Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. It is kept in managed herds on highland pasture and farms, where its fine fleece is the main product. Alpacas are not a wild-range species in the same way as their camelid relatives; populations outside the Andes are introduced or managed.

Classification in this archive

Animals › Chordates › Mammals › Even-toed ungulates › Camelidae › Vicugna › Alpaca

Habitat and distribution

Habitat
highland pastures, farms, grasslands
Regions in this record
South America, Oceania, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Australia

Conservation field in this record

Not evaluated

Did you know?

Alpaca fiber is lightweight, warm, and naturally insulating.

More images

Close view of an alpaca at Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany.

Alpaca at Karlsruhe Zoo, Germany.

Creator: H. Zell

Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

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Sources and attribution