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A fluffy white Huacaya alpaca standing near a wooden fence.
Photo: KKPCW, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Huacaya Alpaca

Vicugna pacos

A fluffy domestic alpaca first raised by Andean people in Peru more than 6,000 years ago for its soft, warm fleece.

🐐 Farm Animals🦓 Hoofed Mammals
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About the Huacaya Alpaca

Alpacas were tamed by Andean people in Peru more than 6,000 years ago and are now raised all over the world. They weigh 110 to 190 pounds and stand about 3 feet tall at the shoulders. Their fleece, called fiber, comes in 22 natural colors and is warmer, lighter and stronger than sheep's wool. There are two breeds: the fluffy Huacaya (wah-KI-ah) and the silky Suri.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Vicugna pacos[1]
Size
About 3 feet tall at the withers.[1]
Weight
110 to 190 pounds.[1]
Diet
Herbivore. Grasses, hay and browse.[1]
Where it lives
First raised in Peru; now kept worldwide.[1]
Group life
Social animals that live in herds.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts 242 to 345 days. A cria weighs 17 to 33 pounds at birth.[1]

Fun facts

  • Alpaca fleece comes in 22 natural colors.[1]
  • Alpacas talk mostly by humming.[1]
  • A male alpaca makes about 8 pounds of fiber a year; a female about 5.[1]
  • Alpacas and llamas are different species.[1]

Vocabulary

domesticated
Tamed and raised by people over many generations.
breed
A group of domestic animals that people have raised to share certain traits.
fleece
The wool-like coat of an alpaca or sheep.
camelid
A member of the camel family, including camels, llamas and alpacas.
cria
A baby alpaca.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Zoo Atlanta. “Huacaya Alpaca.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/huacaya-alpaca/ (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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