RANGE | Alpacas originated from the Andean Mountain Range in southern Peru , northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile. The mountain range extends along the South Pacific Ocean.

FUN FACTS | Alpacas hum when they’re curious, worried, content, bored, fearful, distressed or cautious. Humming is the most common sound that alpacas make. Much like llamas, alpacas are known to spit when they’re annoyed with someone or angry with someone. Alpaca fur is very soft and, next to mohair, alpaca fiber is considered to be the second strongest natural animal fiber.

Alpacas are herbivores and they have a three chambered stomach. They will mostly eat grass but some have been known to eat wood, bark, leaves and stems. When they eat grass, they cut off the top of the plant rather than pulling it by the root. When they eat grass, they cut off the top of the plant rather than pulling it by the root and chew their cud like a cow. Alpacas are known to be focal fecalizers, meaning they have a specific predetermined communal feces pile.

These alpaca came to us from a family that had been raising them for their wool. Stuart came first, to accompany the older alpaca living on property, after his companion died. Stuart had been housed with several younger alpacas after he had not integrated into the herd and the older alpacas had been beating him up. Stuart took longer to process things, and found himself more comfortable with young alpaca. Still, the family thought Stuart would be a great companion for our older male, since he was not the type to challenge or fight. Then, when that older male passed away a couple years later, Stuart needed a friend. So, they brought us Stanley and Sven, two of the young alpacas he used to live with. Stuart was grazing in the backyard when the truck pulled up and when he heard Stanley whinny, his head shot up and he ran with excitement to be reunited with his friends.

The three are inseparable. As herd animals, they need each other. Each morning, they run from the corral to the Sanctuary where they graze and watch the other animals. Then, in the afternoon, they prance and meander from the Sanctuary to their corral. They are intensely curious about anything new in their environment, though it often takes a day or two to get over the initial wariness. Pumpkins can be scary, you know!