ALPACA FACT SHEET

CONTACT: Shirley Thom, 206-282-4093
                    Alpaca Association of Western Washington (AAWW)

• The raising and breeding of alpacas is a multi-million dollar industry in the State of Washington.  AAWW is a non-profit organization that supports the industry.
• Alpacas in the U.S. are registered and micro chipped for herd and fleece quality control. Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of South America. They were first imported into the United States in 1984.   
• The Alpaca Industry has room to grow.  The goal is to increase the herd size from current numbers of 100,000 animals to 350,000+, to support a viable alpaca fiber industry inside our own country. 
• Alpacas enjoy a strong national registry and command premium prices. A quality pregnant female alpaca will sell for $15,000 or more.  A premium male herd sire can sell well into the six figures.   
• Alpacas are the ideal small-farm animals. You can put up to 10 alpacas on the same amount of pasture required to graze a single horse.  It costs less to feed an alpaca than the average family dog.
• Alpacas are environmentally friendly.  They have pads instead of hooves and are gentle ruminants. This makes alpacas very kind to pastures.  
• Alpaca fiber is prized for its cashmere-like softness, warmth, and luster. It has an extremely low “prickle factor” and a much higher insulation value than wool.
• Alpacas respond well to human interaction.  They are handsome, gentle, inquisitive, intelligent, earth-friendly and family-friendly animals.    
• Alpacas are camelids, cousins to llamas, vicunas, and guanacos, and come in two breeds, huacaya and suri, distinguished by their different fleece types.
• Alpaca facts: They live between 15 and 20 years, average between 100 and 180 pounds; females give birth to a single 15-pound baby (called a cria) after an 11-month gestation period.