Specifically, my friends and I were in the Huascaran National Park finishing our hike to Laguna Rocotuyoc when we came across a heard of Alpacas right in front of the road our bus was parked on! At first we were all very surprised because we hadn’t seen them on our walk to the laguna (lagoon). However, we were also super excited because we had never seen so many up close before at once - especially in the wild, without an owner or farm in sight. They were peaceful and gentle and didn’t mind as we got a couple photos of them passing through. I now know that Peru has the largest population of wild Alpacas, with over half of the world’s Alpacas living here.
Alpacas are experts at living in cold places. They are commonly found in regions of high elevation- like the Andes Mountains of South America. Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and, of course, Peru, are some of the countries that alpacas call home. They are believed to have descended from Vicuñas, another animal native to the high Andes of Peru. Vicuñas are a little bit smaller and are delicate, non-domesticated animals that are also found here where I live in Cajamarca.
Alpacas have adapted to survive harsh climates found in mountain ranges. Their bodies can survive cold temperatures and high elevations where the air has little oxygen. One of the ways they can do this is through their wool coat. Their wool is super dense! This is important for a couple of reasons, as it keeps them warm and dry, preventing moisture from entering when it snows. Their small size also helps them retain heat, compared to larger animals.
Alpacas are smart!
