Day 2

Description of Habitat:

• Alpacas live in the Andean Altiplano, or the Andean high plateau, preferably near wet areas. Annual precipitation ranges from 1.3ft to 2.2ft (400mm to 700mm).

• Plants: In their Peruvian homelands, they live mainly on grasses and woody shrubs. Their digestive systems are specially adapted to break down such fibrous plant material. Grasses include Alfalfa, clover and ryegrass. Weeds include Alfalfa, clover and ryegrass.

• Animals: Animals such as flamingos, condors, spectacled bears, mountain lions, coyotes, llamas, and sheep live near alpacas when they are in their natural habitat.

• Temperature: They live at altitudes that range from 3500 to 5000 meters above sea level in extreme weather conditions where temperatures can vary from +30 to -20° in a single day. 

• Terrain: Marshy mountain areas

Distribution:

• Found throughout most of South America

• Not invasive

Diet:

• 100% herbivores. Eat plants, grass, and hay.

• They don't eat much. The general rule of thumb is 1.5% of the animal's body weight daily in hay or fresh pasture. They are pasture fed.

• They get their food from pastures, and will often eat shrubs or the leaves from trees if given the opportunity.

• They are ruminants and don't need any special foods.