12 knittingmag.comGUEST COLUMNThose of us who
are experienced
at knitting will
be familiar with
alpaca yarn.
Alpacas are
famous for their
soft coats, which make luxurious yarns
that often carry premium prices. The yarn,
as well as being softer than sheep’s wool,
is free from lanolin, which is beneficial for
those with allergies or sensitive skin.
Alpacas are becoming a surprisingly
common sight in the UK: these animals
may be found in zoos, exotic farms and
even in bespoke herds for harvesting ofyarn. While the alpaca might become a
common sight, the animal beneath the
yarn is an incredibly strange, exotic species
with some hidden secrets.MEET THE FAMILY
The alpaca, known to scientists as Vicugna
pacos, is native to the Andes in South
America, and was domesticated thousands
of years ago for its meat and yarn. This
long period of domestication has resulted
in different colour varieties: alpacas range
from cream to grey and brown to black.
They are naturally social animals and
are therefore housed in herds. They show
aggression to animals in the dog family, andALPACAS: THE ANIMALS
BENEATH THE YARN
FROM MULTIPLE STOMACHS TO GREEN SPIT, ALPACAS HAVE PLENTY
OF QUIRKY SECRETS. ZOO BIOLOGIST JAMES BRERETON INVESTIGATES
ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE FIBRES
may protect other animals against attacks
from foxes, dogs, or wolves. As a result,
alpacas are sometimes mixed in with other
livestock, such as sheep.
The alpaca belongs to a small family of
animals collectively known as Camelidae.
There are no prizes for guessing which other
species belong to this group! Within the
Camelidae family, the alpaca is most closely
related to the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna),
a beautiful orange-white animal that
originates from the Andes. It is believed that
the vicuña was domesticated at least in part
for its beautiful hair, resulting in the alpaca.
Two other camelids are found in South
America: these are the semi-domesticatedBanca do Antfer
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