ALPACA

Vicugna Pacos

STATUS: Least concern

AT THE WILDLIFE PARK

Unfortunately, we don’t have Alpacas at the park anymore.

HABITAT

Alpacas can be found in arid grasslands in the Andes of southern Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and northern Chile.

WILD DIET

As herbivores they eat only plants. Their wild diet consists of grass, leaves, bark and stems.

BEHAVIOUR & BREEDING

Gestation period of 11.5 months usually results in 1 offspring, otherwise known as a ‘cria’.
Alpacas live in a herd which can also include llamas, goats & sheep. They have excellent eyesight and hearing allowing them to alert the herd of perceived danger with an alert call. In addition to their alert call they express themselves with a soft hum, other vocalizations and body language. Alpacas can spit (rarely at humans unless frightened), spitting is another form of communication with one another to register a complaint.

THREATS & CONSERVATION

Fortunately domestic alpacas thrive in their natural habitats.

FUN & INTERESTING FACTS

Alpacas will use a communal dung pile which limits the spread of internal parasites. Generally, males have tidier and fewer piles than females!