The Huacaya alpaca is a breed of alpaca distinguished by a dense, crimped, spongy fleece, and the more common of the two alpaca breeds, making up roughly 90 percent of the world's alpaca population, with about 2.8 million animals in Peru alone. It was first domesticated by the Inca thousands of years ago from a wild camelid, the vicuna, and is native to the Andean highlands of Peru, Chile and Bolivia, known as the altiplano, at around 4,000 feet above sea level; during the 1980s Huacayas were exported to found alpaca industries in Australia, Canada, England, France, New Zealand and the United States. Adults stand 32 to 39 inches at the withers, and the breed is recognized in 22 coat colors, sharing the three-chambered stomach and padded, two-toed feet common to the camel family.
Facts
Scientific Name Domestication RegionAndean highlands of Peru (emerged in post-colonial Peru as alpacas were pushed into higher altitudes) 1 Primary UsesFiber production (fleece for textiles) 1 In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Peru, found in there.
Sources
1. Alpaca (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBreeds section
The Huacaya alpaca is thought to have originated in post-colonial Peru because of its thicker fleece which makes them more suited to survive in the higher altitudes of the Andes after being pushed into the highlands of Peru with the arrival of the Spanish.
Lead section
Vicugna pacos
Fiber section
grows in bundles more similar to sheep's wool
View the Source Huacaya Alpaca (Wikipedia)
Population section
The worldwide alpaca population is estimated to be more than 90% Huacaya.
Breed section, exports
In the 1980s, these Huacaya were imported to other countries including Australia, Canada, England, France, New Zealand, and the United States of America to set up alpaca industries internationally.
Breed section, popularity
This breed is the most popular alpaca breed with population numbers reaching 2.8 million in Peru alone.
Physical characteristics section, coat colors
There are 22 varieties of coat color recognized in Huacaya alpacas
Fiber section, crimp
Huacayas have a fiber feature that is distinct from Suri alpacas called crimp which refers to the waviness of the fibers in the fleece.
Biology section, stomach and feet
Huacayas are organized into a suborder of ruminants called Tylopoda because they have three compartments to their stomach, and their feet consist of two padded toes that end in claws.
Origin section, native homeland
The native homeland of the Huacaya is the Andean highlands of South America, called the Altiplano.
Fiber section, fiber diameter
The most frequent fiber diameter in U.S. Huacayas is 30 μm.
Breed section, domestication by the Incas
Both breeds were first domesticated by the Incas thousands of years ago from a wild species of camelid, the vicuña.
Lead section, camelid biology
They share biological components with other species in the Camelidae family.
Breed section, two alpaca breeds
The Huacaya alpaca is one of two breeds of alpaca, the other breed being the Suri alpaca.
Fiber section, micron count preference
Fiber with lower micron counts is favored, because as the diameter increases so does the likelihood that the fiber will tear.
Physical characteristics section, fleece appearance
wavy and spongy look
Appearance section, height at the withers
As adults, the height up to their withers is 32-39 inches (81-99 cm).
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