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    The alpaca is a member of the South American camelid family, which is closely related to the more familiar Asian and African camels. South American camelids include the llama, the vicuna, and the guanaco, as well as the alpaca. The ancestor of the camelid family actually originated in the North American southwest approximately 50 million years ago and then migrated to South America, Asia and Northern Africa. These camelid forefathers then became extinct in North America. Isn't it ironic that after millions of years, alpacas are finding their way back to North America?

    The wild vicuna is the smallest of the South American camelids, weighing from 77 to 110 pounds. The vicuna also has the finest undercoat of any member of the camelid family. However, it is also extremely sparse, producing only about a pound of fiber every 2 to 4 years -- compare this to Lord Byron's annual shearing of 10 lbs!

    When you hear people refer to an alpaca "in the wild," what they really mean is, "in South America." Alpacas have always been a domesticated animal, as has the llama. How these ancient people developed the alpaca from the vicuna is nearly miraculous. In addition to the sparseness of fiber, the vicuna is a double-coated animal of a consistent color. Compare this to the alpaca who produces an abundance of single-coated fiber on an annual basis, in a multitude of colors -- talk about evolution!

    Zoological archaeologists have determined that the evolution of the wild vicuna into the domestic alpaca began between six and seven thousand years ago. The specialized breeding of alpacas for fiber production was not developed until around 500 B.C.

    The Pukara indians in the Lake Titicaca region of Southern Peru were the first true alpaca breeders. Much later, during the Inca Empire period, the Incas were remarkably successful in further refining the domestication of the alpaca. These people used rigid breeding control, which must have required considerable record-keeping, to greatly enhance the quality of the fiber. In fact, archaeologists have found mummified remains of alpacas at ritual Incan burial sites whose fiber is far finer than any of our modern day alpacas. It was the Incas who developed the alpaca into the two distinct fleece types, the huacaya (pronounced wa-kai-ya) and the less common suri. Alpacas and llamas were a treasured commodity, utilized for garments, hides, fertilizer, fuel, and meat. The llama further provided them with a means for maintaining close communication and extensive commerce throughout the large empire by serving as a pack animal.

    The Spanish invasion of 1532 destroyed the organized breeding program established by the Incas. The enormous alpaca herds were all but eliminated. Survivors were forced into the higher altiplano elevations. The prime grazing lands were taken by the Spaniards for their more valued sheep and cattle. The alpacas ran together with llama herds in the inhospitable altiplano. Living conditions were rough: arrid, rocky ground; sparse vegetation; and temperatures that would freeze any cria born at night. It is believed that the unsupervised breeding and cross breeding was the cause of the decline in the quality of the alpaca's fiber.

    Today, there are approximately 4,000,000 alpacas in Peru, with much lower numbers in Bolivia, and Chile. Although there are a few large landowners with sophisticated breeding programs in Peru, the majority of the alpacas are being bred and raised by the campesinos, who are highland indians living in great poverty. This subsistent existence does not allow for the education or other requirements of managing a complex breeding program, but the fact that the alpaca is also a source for food as well as fiber has provided for significant culling of their herds. Inadvertantly, as a result of this culling, the quality of their herds has been enhanced, though at a much slower pace. Peru continues to be the largest producer of alpaca fiber in the world today. Most of Peru's alpaca fiber is purchased by several large fiber collectives and then marketed to the European fashion houses and to Japan.

    We still have the two basic types of alpacas developed by the Incas - the huacaya and the suri. The huacaya is the more common and is easily recognized by its fuzzier look. The huacaya fiber grows straight out from its body, and is characterized by its crimp. The suri alpaca has fiber that hangs from its body in silky, pencil-sized ringlets.

    Although there are two distinctly different fiber types, both the huacaya and suri have essentially the same body structure. Thus, the determination of whether an alpaca is a huacaya or suri is based upon the characteristics of its fiber. The breeding of two huacayas will invariably produce a huacaya. However, the breeding of two suris will occasionally produce a huacaya. The crossing of a huacaya and a suri also produces unpredictable results.

    There are minor differences within the huacaya population. Alpacas imported from Peru generally have greater density, those imported from Bolivia generally have greater luster, and those imported from Chile generally have stronger color. All have the capability of producing fine fiber. Obviously, it is our challenge to breed for a North American alpaca which combines all of these wonderful qualities. We must judge each animal on its own individual merit and breed to improve.

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