What kind of animal is an alpaca? We will explain its characteristics, ecology, and habitat. A member of the camel family that lives in South America, the animal is known for its thin, fluffy fur, making it a very popular animal in zoos around the world. Alpacas are highly prized all over the world for their wool-like wool.
What is an alpaca? About basic status
Alpacas are classified in the camelidae family, genus Vicuna. It is a famous domestic animal of South America. The scientific name is Vicugna pacos, and the kanji is written in kanji such as yōda, yōdāda, yōdō. The body length is 2m and the weight is 50-55kg. The list of information is as follows.
| Japanese（和名） | アルパカ |
| English（英名） | Alpaca |
| scientific name(学名) | Vicugna pacos |
| classification（分類） | Mammalia、Artiodactyla、 Camelidae、Vicugna 哺乳綱、鯨偶蹄目、ラクダ科、ビクーニャ属 |
| IUCN Status(保全状況) | LEAST CONCERN |
| Length（体長） | 2m |
| Weight（体重） | 50–55kg |
About classification
Alpacas have many subspecies. Please refer to the following types. This is a quote from Wikipedia. Some of them are extinct.
- カメルス・ギガス Camelus gigas
- カメルス・ヘステルヌス（エステルヌス） Camelus hesternus
- カメルス・シルヴァレンス（シルワレンス） Camelus sivalensis
- シリアラクダ Camelus moreli
- ヒトコブラクダ Camelus dromedarius
- フタコブラクダ Camelus ferus
- ビクーニャ Vicugna vicugna
- アルパカ Vicugna pacos
- リャマ（ラマ） Lama glama
- グアナコ Lama guanicoe
Where will the habitat be?
Its habitat is South America.
feature is? What kind of creature is it?
Alpacas have no upper incisors and are characterized by hardened skin. This is a livestock breed that has been bred to make use of its hair, and has evolved since ancient times. The coat color is brown and black. Alpaca wool continues to grow until it is sheared, so if it is not sheared, it will grow to the point that it touches the ground. They always live in herds and are grazed all year round. Alpacas have sharp claws and soft pads on their feet, so they won’t damage the grass.
What is your personality like?
Alpacas are generally curious and very intelligent animals. They are also known for not wanting to fight, and rarely get into fights. It is a very easy animal to care for.
What is the ecology like?
Alpacas are herbivores and live by eating grass. Male alpacas reach sexual maturity at the age of two and a half and begin breeding around October. The average gestation period is 342 days. Only one baby is born at a time. Alpacas have an estimated lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
Are there any natural enemies?
Alpacas have almost no natural enemies. Since it was domesticated by humans, it became protected, so there is no longer any enemy that can be called an enemy.
Are alpacas an endangered species?
Because alpacas are domesticated, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not assess their conservation status. Therefore, it has not been evaluated. In the 16th century, when Spain colonized South America, the alpaca population declined by 90%, but has since stabilized as they have been domesticated.
Can alpacas be kept as pets?
There is no legal problem with owning an alpaca. However, there are some things like the following, and the hurdles are very high. If you go to a zoo or other place and have time, there will be information about shows, etc., so we recommend checking the outline and details before watching as a customer. Please visit the page and check it out.
How much does an alpaca cost?
If you want to buy an alpaca, it will cost about 1.8 to 2 million yen. This is not a realistic price as it is quite expensive.
How should I feed it?
Alpacas eat 1 kg of hay a day. As you can see from this, they eat a lot, so it costs a lot of money to eat, so you need to be careful. Also, since alpacas live in herds, it is necessary to have multiple animals.
Requires a large area
Since alpacas originally lived in the vast highlands of the Andes, they require large areas of land. It is not at all easy as the breeding space requires appropriate fencing and stables where the alpacas can rest and sleep.
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