Alpaca

The alpaca is a domesticated Andean camelid native to southern Peru, western Bolivia, Ecuador and northern Chile, traditionally raised at altitudes of 3,500 to 5,000 meters. Originally classified as Lama pacos, it was reclassified as Vicugna pacos in 2001 based on DNA analysis showing the vicuna as its wild ancestor. Adults stand between 81 and 99 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh 48 to 90 kilograms. The species was domesticated thousands of years ago, appears in the artwork of the Moche people of northern Peru, and mummified alpaca remains 900 to 1,000 years old have been found in the Moquegua valley. Alpacas are raised in two breeds, Suri and Huacaya, primarily for their fiber, and are now also farmed and ranched in North America, Europe and Australia.