llama vs alpaca: Alpacas & llamas are all from the camel family & they are majorly available in Peru & Bolivia. Llamas & alpacas are mainly utilized by humans for fleece production and transportation. Alpacas & llamas are 2 of the 4 lamoid species. The other 2 species are vicuña & guanaco which are their wild cousins. Fascinatingly, all 4 species are capable to interbreed & make fertile offspring.
Alpacas & llamas are different in major ways. The distinguishing physical features between alpacas & llamas include their size, hair, & face shapes. Furthermore, they also differ in dispositions that have effects on the way humans used them.
Major differences Between llama vs alpaca
- Size
The first, & more obvious variance between llama and alpaca, is size. Alpaca is significantly smaller in comparison with the llama. A normal alpaca has a height of about 35” tall while a normal llama has a height of around 45” tall. There’s an important difference in their weight also. A normal alpaca weighs about around 150 pounds and a llama can weigh up to 400 pounds.
- Fiber
Alpaca fibers are extra delicate. They’re softer & finer in comparison with the heavier and warmer wool which llamas produce. Even if alpacas are smaller, they produce extra fibers compared to llamas. Alpaca produces fiber 50-90 ounces in one year.
Alpacas provide more colors, thus you may require treating llama-wool to get the color which you need.
- Face
Llama has a longer face that has a bigger muzzle. Alpaca has round, smooshed faces. They too have fluffy fur on their face, particularly on their foreheads. Llama appears to have short & thin fur nearby their face. Moreover, Alpacas have smooth facial features compared to llamas. Due to this, several people believe that alpacas are cuter.
- Ear Shape
Llama has ears that are tall & long. The stand-up is in a design that appears the same as a banana. Alpacas on the other hand have shorter and pointy ears. They have fuzziness that continues on their ears. Llamas appear to have smoother & straighter fur around their ears.
- Tail
Alpaca has a tail that slopes down from the back while the llama tail is in-line with its back.
- Purpose
Llama is a big larger animal that has been bred majorly to remain a pack-carrying camel. This purpose has been there for a long time. At the time of the Spanish conquest, llamas became pack-animals in mines, that brought ore down from mountains. To some lesser extent, wool is utilized to make textiles & its meat is rarely eaten.
Alpacas are smaller & thus they don’t make a good pack camel. Instead, they have a fine, silky coat that creates smooth & warm textiles. They’re sheared one time in a year. You will get more alpaca-textiles for sale. Also, indigenous groups including the Inca often ate alpaca meat, a thin, and sweet protein source. Today, you will get find alpaca meat in numerous restaurants.
- Lifespan
Alpaca has a lifespan of about to 20 years while Llama has a lifespan of about 15 to 30 years
- Milk Production
Though you cannot easily tell the difference between alpacas & llamas with milk production, it’s significant when you plan to increase any of them or both & maximize the advantages you get. On that note, milk harvested from alpaca & llama is nutritious & delicious. When compared with the milk of the cow, alpaca’s milk contains similar lactose, fat content, and protein. Llama’s milk contains higher lactose, calcium, protein, potassium, & phosphorous levels. All produce little amounts of milk & are tougher to milk compared to goats, and cows.
- Personality
Both of these animals are domesticated animals & generally extra at ease using humans compared to other creatures, there’s a variance between llamas and alpacas in terms of their disposition. Alpacas camel feel extra comfortable when with a herd and llamas are comfortable when independent. Llamas are rougher too, thus you can depend on them to give you protection against predators.
- Temperament
Alpacas appear to be shy and gentle, requiring more protection & care from humans. They choose to be together with the herds as they’re social animals. Llamas, are independent. Because of their size, they’re better capable of protecting themselves.
All the animals can spit, though spitting on humans is less common than you can think. Llamas are likely to spit at extra llamas the time they feel threatened like a form of gaining control and discipline. Alpacas, just spit as last resort.
In general, temperament relies on the separate animal’s socialization & training, with more friendly llamas & alpacas. If gets across either, be certain to keep distance to prevent frightening or threatening the animal. They’re very curious animals, and when they feel relaxed around you, they approach you.
- Distribution
Llamas & alpacas are domestic animals and don’t live in wild anymore, all certainly thrive in their native region. Remember that llamas thrive in more kinds of climates.
Thus, the varieties of llamas are bigger compared to those of alpacas. Llamas flourish all across Bolivia, Chile, the Andes, Ecuador & Peru. They’re rugged creatures that survive well on dry, cold mountaintops in tough conditions. Llamas lives in Machu Picchu, which makes them more famous in Peru.
- Origin
Llamas & alpacas are the same creatures, though their origins are different. Llamas originated from North America. However, Alpacas descended from a wild relative, South American vicuña.
