Alpacas evolved in captivity but by looking at the behaviour of their wild cousins, and probable ancestors, the vicuna, it is possible to imagine how best to adjust our husbandry in confined spaces so as to satisfy their instinctive needs and habits.
In the wild, males fight for possession of a breeding group of eight to twelve females. Apart from the time spent mating he plays no part in the female herd. His entire life is dedicated to guarding and defending his position of supremacy over threatening males with designs on his females.
Females, meanwhile, look after each other and their young as one big family. They band together and present a united front against danger. All females care for all cria and though most often cria suck only from their mothers, if they feel short of milk they will attempt to make up the shortfall from another female in the group.
As developing male cria reach the onset of puberty at about eight to ten months of age, they become a potential threat to the herdsire and are driven out from the female group. These young males band together with displaced young from other herds and roam in aged groups until fully mature at about three years of age. Only the strongest and fittest then fight successfully to gain a female group of their own.
Older males thus displaced spend the rest of their lives alone or in loose groups, away from the breeding herds and risk of repeated beatings from active herdsires.
