Alpacas of Holland Acres

History of the Peruvian Alpaca

~ Peruvian people have been breeding alpacas since 4,000 BCE


~ 15th century, alpacas began greatest devolopements
        - Incan's began to focuse on fiber qualities


~ During the Early Republican Era in Peru, the importance of the alpacas' fiber was failed to be seen by the Spanish
        - population of the alpacas declined
        - Incan's became the main breeders


~ 1910, alpacas gained popularity again
        -fiber trade established in Puno and Cusco
        - mills opened in Arequipa


~ 1927, Simon Bolivar signed decree to protect all camelids


~ 1960's, Peruvian alpaca population was estimated at 4 million
        - organized large ranches worked fiber mills


~ 1969, Military Government of Peru began land reformation
        - most ranchers were foirced to give up farms
        - few old ranches remained


~ Peru was the last country to open it's borders to exportations of alpacas
        - 3,000 alpacas left Peruvian ground
        - .1% of entire world population



Sources:  Stachowski Alpacas

Updated January 16, 2012