Llamas and Alpacas belong to the same class of family, the camelid family; this is why people tend to confuse the two. They do have a few similarities as well, apart from their looks. Both these animals spit.
Alpaca vs Llama
The main difference between an alpaca and llama is their face. Llamas have longer curved ears, and their faces are also longer. An alpaca’s ears are much smaller, and their faces are smaller and squished. Alpacas have been bred specifically for their fur. Their fur is used in all sorts of textiles ranging from blankets, sweaters, gloves, scarves, etc. Alpacas are identified to converse through body language.
They spit when they are angry or upset. Spitting helps alpacas show dominance. Llamas are very social animals and tend to roam around in herds. They can be trained to an extent. They can be taught a few simple tasks after a few repetitions.
Comparison Table Between Alpaca and Llama (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | Alpacas | Llamas |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Found all over South America. Found largely in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile. | Found all over the world. In Australia, North America and Europe. A common sight in South America as well. Especially in Peru |
| Ears | Small ears are almost pear-shaped. | Longer banana-shaped ears. |
| Size | Much smaller compared to Llamas. They average 180 pounds. They are reared more for their fur. | Llamas can get very heavy and average almost 400 pounds. This is one of the main reasons as to why llamas are used as a pack animal. |
| Faces | Smaller and rounder faces. Their faces generally have a squished look. | Longer faces. |
| Breeding | Alpacas are bred for their fur. They have very fine hair, and their fleece comes in twenty-two colors. | Llamas are bred for their meat. They are extensively used as pack animals as they can carry big loads. |
| Temperament | They are more of pack animals and are extremely jumpy and nervous animals. | Llamas are independent as compared to alpacas and are used to guard the other herd animals, such as sheep and alpacas. |
What is Alpaca?
Alpacas are very ancient animals. They were domesticated by the Incas almost 6000 years ago. They are reared for their magnificent fleece and wool. Alpacas are slender-bodied animals.
They have long legs and necks with small ears and an almost squished mouth. Their average weight is about 60kgs and their average height coming to around 3 feet.
There
are two types of alpacas in the world. Suri and Huacaya. The Suri has long
fibers that are extremely silky. The Huacaya has woolly, thick, and ruffled
fleece.
Alpacas come in different colors and vary from brown, white, black, tan, and grey. Alpacas are found only in central and southern Peru and western Bolivia.
They are limitedly distributed. This makes the demand for their fleece high. The alpacas’ fleece is exceptionally lightweight and strong. It is brilliant and luminous with high resistance to rain and snow.
Alpacas
tend to live in marshy grounds with an altitude of 4000-4700 feet. They have
adapted to the limited oxygen found in this region and have a high number of
red blood cells.
Alpacas
hum a lot. It is the most common sound they make. They hum when they are happy,
inquisitive, stressed, anxious or disturbed, bored, etc.
What is Llama?
Llama (Llama Glama) is a mammal and belongs to the same class as that of camels; Camelidae (order Artiodactyla). Llamas do not have the characterized hump that camels possess.
They are lean-bodied animals. They have long necks as well as ears with short tails and a small head.
They
are herbivorous animals. They feed on grass and other plants. Like cows, they
regurgitate their food and eat it as cud. They don’t require a lot of water.
This makes them perfect to use in rigid mountainous terrains with sparse
vegetation.
When they are agitated or nervous, they spit. It helps them show dominance.
Llamas are found all over the world. Most of the packs found in South America are maintained by the Indians found in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina.
Llamas are pack animals but are also used for their meat, hides, wool, and tallow, which is used for candle making. Their dung is used for fuel as well. Llamas are pack animals that can be saddled with about a weight of about 70 pounds.
With such weight, they can cover a distance of about 18 miles. Llamas are disposed of animals but only till a certain point.
If the weight they are carrying is too much, they will refuse to move. Most of the time, they will lie down until the weight is reduced. Llamas will also spit if they are irritated too much.
Main Differences Between Alpaca and Llama
The
main differences between a llama and an alpaca are:
- A llama has long banana-shaped ears while an alpaca has relatively smaller and pointed ears.
- Llamas are used more for carrying huge weights and can survive in harsh terrains for a longer time. They are used for their meat as well. Their dung is used as fuel. Alpacas, on the other hand, are reared for their lustrous fleece and wool. Since alpacas are mainly found only in southern America, their wool has a high demand in the markets.
- A llama’s face is much longer than an alpaca. It also has much less wool on the face. An alpaca, on the other hand, has a much smaller face with a lot more wool. The alpacas face almost looks squished.
- Llamas are a lot bigger and are used for carrying a lot more weight. They are also used to guard other herd animals like sheep and alpacas. Alpacas are a lot lighter and smaller than llamas.
- Alpacas can die of loneliness and needs a companion with it all the time. Llamas are very independent and tend to like being alone.
Conclusion
You must have gotten a fair idea about these two animals who are unique compared to others. Even though they look similar, there are a number of differences between the two.
I hope this guide was of help in clearing your doubts between Llama and Alpaca. In conclusion, although both these animals have some similar qualities, they were both bred for very different reasons.
References
- https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2001.1774
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0040517509337634
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378432096016302