Alpacapalooza!

A cloudy and drizzly day in Vancouver, WA (typical)

Parking lot at Alpacapalooza

The calm before the Palooza

Signs of Spring

ALPACAPALOOZA!!

SO cute

Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, similar to wool. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, ponchos, socks, coats, bedding, and a wide variety of other textiles. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States. 

An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance. There are two breeds of alpaca; the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca.  The above alpacas are Huacayas.

Hungry!

Sleepy

Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups consisting of a territorial alpha male, females and their young. Alpacas warn the herd about intruders by making sharp, noisy inhalations that sound like a high-pitched bray. 

Curious little creatures

Alpacas make a variety of sounds. When they are in danger, they make a high-pitched, shrieking whine. Some breeds are known to make a "wark" noise when excited.  To signal friendly or submissive behavior, alpacas "cluck," or "click" a sound possibly generated by suction on the soft palate, or possibly in the nasal cavity.  Most alpacas generally make a humming sound. Hums are often comfort noises, letting the other alpacas know they are present and content. 

Alpaca fleece is a soft, lustrous and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and bears no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic.  Without lanolin, it does not repel water.  In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat akin to hair, being very glossy. The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool. Alpaca fiber is also flame-resistant.

Suri alpaca

So many different colors!

Petting our first alpaca!

Just checking out the scenery