Alpaca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alpaca | |
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| Alpaca | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Camelidae |
| Genus: | Vicugna |
| Species: | V. pacos |
| Binomial name | |
| Vicugna pacos (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.[1]
They eat grass, herbs and leaves. The Alpaca takes about 355 days until the babies are born(11-12 months). They may live up to 20 years (up to 25 years in a zoo). There they live together with Cameroon (sheep)and pygmy goat. [2] They were selectively breeded for house hold goods like clothes because they have such good body hair.
Domestication [change]
About 5,000 to 6,000 years ago the natives began the domestication of the vicuna into the present day alpaca as a fiber producing animal.
References [change]
- ↑ Wheeler, Dr Jane; Miranda Kadwell, Matilde Fernandez, Helen F. Stanley, Ricardo Baldi, Raul Rosadio, Michael W. Bruford (12 2001). "Genetic analysis reveals the wild ancestors of the llama and the alpaca". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 268 (1485): 2575–2584. doi:10.1098/rspb.2001.1774. PMC 1088918. PMID 11749713. 0962-8452 (Paper) 1471-2954 (Online).
- ↑ Hannover Zoo: Alpaka (in German), viewed 2012-12-06
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Wikispecies has information on: Vicugna pacos. |
