It’s easy to mistake a llama and an alpaca for each other. Both are thin, fluffy, four-legged mammals with long necks that live in the herd. So, what is the difference between these two species?
“That’s the most common question the public asks us,” Rebecca Gill, co-owner of Cotton Creek Farms, a Michigan farm home to both animals, told Live Science.
Lamas (Ramagramma) and Alpacas (Ramapakos or Vichugnapakos vary depending on who you ask) are both camel members.
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“Camels were originally born in the western part of North America,” Anderson told Live Science. “The migration from the north to Asia, South America and South America occurred when America and Asia were still connected by the Beringland Bridge during the last ice age.”
The camels that migrated to North Africa, the Middle East and Asia became dromari and bactrian camels, each with one and two humps. Those who migrated to Central and South America produced llamas and alpacas, as well as the wild precursors Guanacos (Rama Guanico) and Vicuñas (Vicauna Vicuuna), explained Anderson.
“Here in America, llamas and alpacas are often considered foreign species, but in reality, from an evolutionary perspective, they were born here, so I think their existence here is like repatriation,” Anderson said.
Related: What do camels eat in the desert?
A study published in 2020 suggests that Guanaco was tamed by Lamas and Vicuña, the latter of which took place around 6,000-7,000 years ago. However, the origins of the llamas and alpacas remain contested. “It’s not necessarily set on stone,” Anderson said.
Llama and alpaca
The most obvious difference between llamas and alpacas is that llamas weigh more than twice as much as alpacas. The lama ranges from about 280-450 pounds (130-200 kilograms) and when it dies it reaches a height of about 45 inches (115 cm). In contrast, the alpaca weighs about 100-175 pounds (45-80 kg) and stands about 36 inches (90 cm) dead. “Even the largest alpacas don’t get close to the llama in size,” Gill said.
Alpacas have pear-shaped ears and short noses, while llamas have longer, banana-shaped ears and long faces. Alpacas also have fine, silky hair, but Rutgers University says llamas have coarse hair.
Anderson said llamas are often used as pack animals due to their size and strength. This explains why Incas can use llamas to use poverty to help expand and fertilize their empire. Alpacas, on the other hand, were raised and relied on more for textiles. “The alpaca fibers are very soft, gorgeous and very warm,” added Gill. In contrast, “I don’t use Llama Fiber for those used next to my skin.”
Llamas and alpacas also have different temperaments. “The llamas are more protective and vigilant, but the alpacas are more ti-sick, kind and more like lovers,” she pointed out. Anderson agreed – “When the alpacas are threatened, they are likely to avoid danger,” he said, “they are likely to turn to you and stand up.”
Both the llama and the alpaca are “very smart and trainable,” Gill pointed out. “People are often very surprised at how intelligent and kind they are.”
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