Alpaca

Vicugna pacos suri

Alpaca 

IMAGE: Laura Moore 2024

Status

NE DD LC NT VU EN CR EW EX

For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org

There are three alpacas here at Edinburgh Zoo, Galaxy, Bon Bon and Humbug.

You can spot the species on your way to our Animal Antics area or on the way down from Living Links.

Population

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Unknown

Diet

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Herbivore

Habitat

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Mountains

Fact file

  • The alpaca is the smallest member of the camelid family, having a slim neck and body

  • Alpacas live over a vast territory, covering northern Chile, northern Bolivia, the Peruvian Andes, and Ecuador

  • They are social animals that live in family groups, consisting of a male, females and their young ones

Alpaca 

IMAGE: Laura Moore 2024

How we're helping

Like all the animals in our care, our alpacas are amazing ambassadors for their relatives in the wild and help hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature every year. They encourage visitors to learn about the threats facing wildlife and the action they can take to help create a world where nature is protected, valued, and loved.

As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for the animals here at the zoo and work to protect species at risk around the world. From providing expertise in genetics and veterinary health to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.

Find out more about RZSS conservation