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What’s the Difference Between Llamas and Alpacas?

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Alpaca and Llama side by side
© Jarno Gonzalez Zarraonandia/Shutterstock.com;© belizar/Fotolia

Llamas and alpacas have been used by humans for transportation and fleece production for a few thousand years. Both species are primarily found in Peru and Bolivia and are part of the camel family, Camelidae. Alpacas and llamas are two of the four lamoid species—the other two species, vicuña and guanaco, are their wild cousins. Interestingly, all four species are able to interbreed and create fertile offspring. While often conflated, alpacas and llamas differ in key ways. The most-distinguishing physical differences between alpacas and llamas are their size, their hair, and their face shapes. Also, they differ in disposition, which affects the way humans have used them over the years.

The most-noticeable difference between the two animals is their sizes. Alpacas are smaller, around 90 cm (35 inches) high at the shoulder and between 55 and 65 kg (121 to 143 pounds). Llamas are the biggest lamoid at about 120 cm (47 inches) at the shoulder and about 113 kg (250 pounds). So llamas are going to be a lot bigger than their cousins. Their faces are also dissimilar: alpacas have small, blunt faces with short ears, while llamas have more-elongated faces with banana-sized ears.

Another key difference is their hair. Alpacas have shaggy hair that is used for fleece production. Their hair color can vary greatly, from whites and light yellows to browns and blacks. Llamas’ hair is coarser, and their wool is considered inferior, but llama breeders are working to create a llama breed with finer, softer hair.

Humans usually use llamas as pack animals, since they can carry a generous amount of weight. The average llama can carry a load of 45 to 60 kg (99 to 132 pounds) for up to 30 km (18.6 miles) each day. Yet llamas get a bad reputation, since, when overloaded or maltreated, they react by spitting, kicking, lying down, or refusing to move. Usually, however, they are gentle creatures. Alpacas, on the other hand, are a bit more timid and like to stay with their herd. Llamas can be used as guard animals for livestock like alpacas and sheep.