Welcome to the World of Alpacas

In the 13th until the 16th century, alpaca were a highly valued animal of the ancient Incan civilization in South America. They were essential in the provision of food and clothing [fleece and leather] for the Incas over thousands of years. In this era, alpaca numbers in Peru, Chile and Bolivia approached 50 million.

Alpacas are a member of the camelid family that includes llama, vicuna and guanaco. Alpaca and llama are now bred outside of South America.

During the Spanish invasion in the 1500’s, the majority of alpacas were slaughtered and almost extinguished. The surviving animals retreated to the high Andes Mountains where the newly introduced cattle and sheep could not survive. It was only their resilience and tolerance of the harsh climates that saw their continued existence in these regions. Their value was not rediscovered until the mid 1800’s.

A failed, but adventurous venture by Charles Ledger in the 1854 saw alpaca transported to Australia for a short time before the herd was dispersed and they eventually died out. Many animals perished during the difficult sea voyage.

Alpaca were not introduced into Australia again until 1988, followed by New Zealand and USA.

These countries offer milder climates, but more importantly, more advanced farming techniques and better management practices, which have seen herd numbers prosper in a relatively short space of time.

>> Alpacas at a Glance