{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "alpaca",
  "name": "Alpaca",
  "scientificName": "Vicugna pacos",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "Alpacas are small domesticated camelids prized for soft, hypoallergenic fleece that comes in 22 natural colours. Native to the Andean highlands, they weigh 55–90 kg (120–200 lb), live in social herds, and communicate with soft hums, clucks, and alarm calls.",
  "conservationStatus": "Domesticated",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Camelidae",
    "genus": "Vicugna"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 70,
    "lengthM": 1.4,
    "topSpeedKmh": 35,
    "lifespanYears": 20
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Vicugna pacos"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — grass, hay, and mineral supplement"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Andean highlands above 3,500 m; farms worldwide"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "15–20 years with good care"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "55–90 kg (120–200 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 35 km/h (22 mph) when fleeing"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Domesticated (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Domesticated in the central Andes above 3,500 m in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile; raised on farms across the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.",
    "continents": [
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Vicugna pacos.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Vicugna%20pacos&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Vicugna pacos. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vicugna_pacos/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/alpaca/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/alpaca/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}