Alpacas and llamas are both members of the camelid family – the biological group consisting of three Afro-Asian camel species: dromedary camels, Bactrian camels and wild Bactrian camels, as well as the two South American camelids: vicuñas and guanacos.
Camelids are mainly herbivorous animals, characterised by their long necks and legs, with two-toed feet.
What's the difference between an alpaca and a llama?
Llamas are primarily bred for their size, strength, ability to carry heavy loads and guard livestock, whereas alpacas are often farmed for their fine, soft coats. In recent years, alpacas have become an important part of the leisure industry, with alpaca walks and llama treks organised around the UK. Farmers often use alpacas and llamas to guard their flocks against predators such as foxes.
Llamas tend to be larger than alpacas, reaching about 120cm at the shoulder, about 30cm taller than alpacas. Llamas tend to be heavier too, weighing around 113kg.
You can often spot the difference between their face shapes too, as llamas have a longer, less compressed face than alpacas. Their ears are longer too.
Llamas and alpacas often have different temperaments. Llamas have historically been used as pack animals, carrying heavy loads over long distances, whereas alpacas are usually more timid and prefer to stay with their herd. Llamas are more solitary, preferring to keep to themselves – and are gentle in nature, which is why they make excellent trekking companions.
The hair of alpacas and llamas differs too. Alpacas sport a soft, fine coat, while llamas have much coarser hair made up of two layers: a soft undercoat and a coarse overcoat. Alpaca fleece is therefore more desirable in fibre production due to its superior softness. Alpacas have a greater variety of coat colours, while llamas tend to be found in various shades of solid colours and spotted patterns.
Alpacas are significantly more common in the UK than llamas.
Top image: Alpacas (credit: Getty Images)