10 Interesting Facts To Know About Llamas And Alpacas

You must indeed know about llamas and alpacas, but do you know that they are not the same? If you are curious to find out about these species, this interesting article will let you explore some of the most amazing facts about llamas and alpacas. Continue reading to find out.

Both llamas and alpacas belong to the camel family and are typically used for transportation purposes. While Llamas can reach up to a weight of around 130 kg, Alpacas can weigh a maximum of 65 kg once fully grown. Likewise, while Llamas are generally used for carrying load purposes, Alpacas are used for deriving wool. There are quite a lot of distinctions between these two species. Besides these, the other two sister species include guanaco and vicuna.

This article will list some of the fascinating facts about the former two species. Further, if these species interest you, several companies provide llamas and alpacas trek. You can consider finding a good Alpaca Farm in Hudson Bay where you can enjoy and take selfies with these furry species with proper safety measures.

Top 5 Interesting Facts About Llamas

Llamas are horse-shaped camelids that can reach up to a height of 180cm and are typically regarded as pack animals. This species is primarily a native of South America, particularly areas like Bolivia and Peru. However, even if you are not residing in these locations, you can still meet them by going for a Llama trek on a Llama farm near you to enjoy with your furry friends.

Let us now explore the top five facts about Llamas that will blow your mind. Read below to find out.

No Hump:

A Llama belongs to the Camelidae family, whose main characteristic includes a hump. However, you might be surprised that llamas have no hump at all.

Expressing Problems:

Do you know that this species is able to convey if they are in any problem? Well, yes. Moreover, they have a unique way of doing so, including sticking their tongue at other fellow Llama. This way, they are able to communicate easily if they need help.

Huge Size:

These are tall species, and the height of a fully grown one can vary between 150-180 cm. Besides their tallness, these are very heavy and can weigh up to 300-400 pounds.

Ability To Carry Weight:

This species is often considered a pack animal and are used significantly for transporting purposes, such as goods and freight. Moreover, they have a very excellent load capacity and are said to carry goods weighing nearly one-third of their own body weight. For example, a 300-pound Llama can carry about 100-120 pounds of weight. Not only this, they are able to do so for a distance as long as 12-13 miles easily. In this context, you must also know that they can walk nearly 20 miles in a day.

Wool:

The wool fibers obtained from a Llama are known to be fire-resistant. In fact, their wool is not itchy, unlike sheep. It is because the threads do not have a compound called lanolin that causes the sheep’s wool to be itchy. The fibers are not just soft but also incredibly soft and used for making handicrafts, clothes, rugs, etc. Further, these animals can be spotted in different colors, such as black, brown, white, red, gray, or beige.

Top 5 Interesting Facts About Alpacas

Alpacas are another species that are part of the Camelidae family. People often consider both Alpacas and Llamas as the same animal, but this is not the case. These are much smaller than Llamas, nearly half the size of a Llama, and are primarily used for obtaining thick wool. Read below to learn some of the top facts about Alpacas that might interest you.

Unique Wool Fibers

Alpacas are particularly famous for their unique wool fibers. These fibers are very soft, delicate, strong, and warm. In fact, these are considered to be softer than silk. Likewise, the Alpaca hair does not contain lanolin, which means the fibers are not at all itchy as opposed to sheep’s wool. People use these fibers to create many things, such as handicrafts, garments, woolen scarfs, knotted sweaters, etc.

Additionally, Alpacas are often found in several colors, such as black, brown, red, white, gray, beige, and many other shades. Thus, the fur is naturally tinted and does not require the use of artificial colors.

Small Size And Variety

As mentioned above, a fully-grown Alpaca is nearly half the size of a fully grown Llama. To say an Alpaca can grow up to 80-100 cm, while a Llama can grow up to 180cm. Furthermore, they can weigh around 50-70 kg.

Another surprising fact is that Alpacas are available in only two breeds, i.e., huacayas and suris, as opposed to Llamas, which are in four varieties. The majority of Alpacas population comprises huacayas alpacas.

You can consider going to an Alpaca farm where you can meet these small, furry alpacas and create a memorable experience. Though an Alpaca is a native of South America, you can find Alpaca farms in Hudson Bay that ensure proper safety and well-maintained animals.

Found In Herds

Alpacas are rarely found alone; they love to be with their fellow alpacas or cousin species, like sheep, goats, or llamas.

Huarizo:

A crossbreed offspring of a llama and alpaca is known as a huarizo.

Diet

You might be surprised to know that they have a minimal diet and eat food weighing nearly 2 percent of their body weight, roughly calculating around 8 kg of grass.

Final Thoughts

Though Llamas and Alpacas are part of the same family, they have certain distinctions. These are generally native to South America, particularly areas nearby Andes Range. However, they are exported to several locations worldwide, such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand, etc. If you reside in Canada, you can look for Alpaca farms where you can meet and enjoy these furry animals with proper safety measures.