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Lama pacos
Habitat: Found in the semi arid Andean high plateau, preferably near wet areas/ central and southern Andes from Peru to Argentina at elevations of up to 4800 meters.
Diet: A strict grazer eating grasses, cushion plants, bunch grasses, and woody shrubs.
Reproduction: Alpacas are polygamous with males forming a harem ranging from 5 to 10 females. Like other camelids alpacas are induced ovulators so they can breed year round. Breeding will occur once a year with one offspring each year. Gestation lasts from 242 to 345 days. On average the young are 8 to 9 kg. They will be weaned when they are 6 to 8 months of age. The young will reach sexual maturity at 12 to 15 months for females and 30 to 36 months for males.
Physical description: The smallest of camelids the weight of an adult alpaca ranges from 55 to 65 kg. The body of an alpaca ranges from 1200 to 2250 mm while they are 900 to 1300 mm high at the shoulder. They have a slender neck and body with a small head and pointed ears. The color of the fur can range and either be one uniform color, or multiple colors. Males develop their incisors and lower canines into fighting teeth. Female alpaca teeth do not develop into fighting teeth. There is little outward appearance that provides the difference between male and female alpacas.
Behavior: They are very social animals that live in herds. They will use body language to communicate with each other. They have a wide range of vocalizations which are also used under a wide range of circumstances. They will use communal dung piles and it is thought that these are a use of chemical communication. There are few predators of alpacas, however they can defend themselves with their hooves and by spitting in the face of the predator.
Conservation Status: Common
Fun Facts:
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According to breeders, there are 22 different colors, which range from white to brown to black, that have been seen in an alpaca’s coat. |
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Due to their padded feet and light weight, Alpacas don’t compact the soil or harm the grasses in the ecosystem. |
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The fiber produced from alpaca can absorb 15% of ambient humidity, without affecting the fiber itself. |
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