Definitely thought these were basically the same thing, but I was wrong. (After only a short 25 years to learn this info...!)
Turns out, they're related via a common ancestor, Protylopus, which was basically a really short old school llama with four-toed hooves (!).This was where their shared family, Camelidae, started - making both alpacas & llamas "Camelids".
Both Camelids have been bred for over 5,000 years, each for a different purpose: Alpacas have been bred for fiber, while llamas have been bred for pack animals. They come from South America (especially Peru).
Also, Alpacas look absolutely hilarious when they're freshly sheared. Photo credit National Smithsonian.
Weird fact about both Llamas and Alpacas: They all poop in one place! Both use a communal dung pile, which is pretty freaking convenient as a farmer but is also a little bit like weird giant cats using a litter box.
You're welcome.
Am I the only one that didn't know any of this stuff?!
Let me know in the comments!
xoxo J