are llamas and alpacas related
Difference between llama and alpaca. As you can see from the photo below, there really are a lot of differences between llamas and alpacas. The llama is roughly twice the size of the alpaca and the llama has a very coarse outer coat over a softer inner coat - as opposed to the alpaca, which has a very fine, single coat. In addition, the llama produces far less fiber per animal than the alpaca, despite its much larger size. Alpacas are strictly raised for fiber or for pets, as they are too small to be pack animals and too valuable to be slaughtered for meat. A 1997 estimate of the average wold market value for an alpaca was between $8500 and $25,000; a breeding age female could be sold for between $15,000 and $25,000. Their purpose: For more than 5,000 years alpacas have been bred for fiber (and in Peru for meat as well), while llamas have been bred for the same amount of time as pack animals and meat. Their hair: The alpaca produces a much finer fiber than the llama. Alpacas are very closely related to llamas. They are both from a group of four species known as South American Camelids. The llama is approximately twice the size of an alpaca with banana shaped ears and is principally used as a pack animal. Alpacas are exclusively bred as fleece animals in Australia. Both llamas and alpacas are domestic camelids from South America. Like camels, llamas and alpacas have peculiar bumps on the soles of their feet, and together they make up the group Tylopoda, which means bump-footed. In fact, camels and llamas have been artificially crossed to create the cama. At first glance, alpacas may look a lot like their camelid cousin the llama, but there are a variety of differences between these two South American animals. 1  Their ears: Alpaca ears have short spear-shaped ears while llamas have much longer, banana-shaped ears. Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) Alpacas are closely related to llamas, however they are considerably smaller. The alpaca was domesticated for its very fine fibre, which, unlike sheep's wool is shiny, hairlike and does not contain any lanolin. This fibre is spun into yarn, while llamas were domesticated as beasts of burden. Camelids are even-toed ungulates belonging to the family camelidae, and unlike true ruminant animals of the family ruminantia, they only have three stomach compartments instead of four. South American Camelidae are grouped into four species: Vicuna, Guanaco, Llama, and Alpaca. The first two are protected wild species, while the later two species have been domesticated for thousands of years. Llamas and alpacas can succussfully interbreed, and the offspring are called huarizo. The alpaca also produces more fleece than its larger cousin and in a much greater variety of colors. Llamas also generally do not have as much hair on their head and face as alpacas do. Their dispositions: Alpacas are very much herd animals, while llamas are more independent minded. A. Alpacas are very closely related to llamas. They are both from a group of four species known as South American Camelids. The llama is approximately twice the size of an alpaca with banana shaped ears and is principally used as a pack animal. Alpacas are exclusively bred as fleece animals.
Yes,But Alpacas are very closely related to llamas.