The Alpaca is an animal from the Andes and comes from the Inca's time (Inca was the strongest culture that dominate huge territories when the spanish conquerors arrive to Peru).   But there is not such thinglike "Peruvian", "Bolivian" and "Chilean" Alpacas.  Peru has now the 90% of the global alpaca population.  In year 1993 the peruvian goverment allows by first time the export ofAlpacas.  In 1998 the export was limited only to those alpacas that were not first quality, the best would remain in Peru.  But hundreds of Peruvian Alpacas were exported illegally to Bolivia and from Bolivia to Chile.  That happens even on this moment.  On the last Alpaca Fiesta November 2003 our people was approached by many andean farmers that told us "choose any champion" and we can put it on Bolivia and then in Chile.  Bolivia and Chile doesnt have estrict rules to protect their alpaca because they dont have huge populations of alpaca and because they dont see the alpaca as one of their main national products, not on the same level like Peru.  So they dont care about exporting some peruvian alpacas that has been smuggled in their territories.  We dont say this based on rumours or stories told by others.  We have lived that on November 2003.  The price of any champion with the finest fiber that you can imagine is around US$1,000, then add other US$1,000 so the animal will be smuggled and you can pick up on Bolivia or Chile.  Thats the origin of the so called "Bolivian" and "Chilean" alpacas.  We dont say that all bolivian and chilean alpacas are peruvian smuggled animals.  But most of them are peruvian smuggled animals.  There is not enough quality alpacas in Bolivia and in Chile to export all the animals that they have export from 1994.

We are preparing other articles that will show you in detail our sources that confirm this information.  So, when we speak about "lines" of alpacas it is a waste of time trying to develop lines based on bolivian, chilean or peruvian animals.  Furthermore... alpacas have origins that goes more than 5,000 years ago... even when the spaniards came to Peru most of the territories that are Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile were under control of the Inca empire.  It is not casualty that the pass in the Andes that comunicate Chile and Argentina (Santiago and Mendoza) is call "The Inca's path".