More info: Island Alpaca has a select herd of over 50 colourful Huacaya alpaca.

There are two varieties of alpaca: Huacaya and Suri. The Huacaya are the most common and make up almost 90% of all the current herds. They are strong and robust animals whose medium-length fleece has a fluffy appearance.

The Suri are slim and delicate, with long, shaggy hair that often reaches almost to the ground.

Both alpaca breeds possess a vast array of coat colours, totalling 22 different varieties.

Although Alpacas and Llamas share similar characteristics and are often mistaken for one another, they are different species. There are four South American camelids: the alpaca and the llama, both domesticated, and the vicuña and the guanaco, both wild species that diverged from a common ancestor around 2 million years ago.

A male alpaca is called a macho, and females are hembras. Offspring are called cria until they are 6 months old. Alpacas can breed year-round. They are “induced ovulators,” meaning that females have no regular heat/estrous cycles, but instead females ovulate after breeding with a male.

Video showing the difference between Llamas and Alpacas: