Alpaca
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Alpaca
Mammal
A species of South American camelid similar to, and often confused with, the llama.
💡 Fun Facts
- Alpacas are smaller than llamas and were bred specifically for their incredibly soft fleece.
- They don't have top front teeth, so they use their bottom teeth and tough top gum to pull grass.
- They are very gentle and curious animals, often making a soft humming sound.
Name Story
Vicugna pacos
means “The paco, of the vicuña kind”
What does its name mean?
- Vicugna — vicuña — a wild mountain cousinQuechua wik'uña
- pacos — alpacathe Quechua/Aymara word for the animal
For a long time people thought the alpaca belonged with the llama — until scientists read its DNA and discovered its true ancestor was the wild vicuña, so they changed its name to match.