Adorable, docile and soft, alpacas are prized as pets and cattle around
the world.  Alpacas are domesticated versions of vicuñas, South
American ruminants that live high in the Andes.  Alpacas are related
to llamas, which are domesticated versions of another wild Andean
ruminant, the guanaco.  While llamas are used as pack animals,
alpacas are raised mainly for their soft wool.