Alpacas look like they were designed to be adorable: big dark eyes, fluffy topknots, and a calm, curious expression. But spend a little time near a herd and you'll notice something else. They hum. It's a soft, low sound, a bit like someone humming with their mouth closed.
Here's what it means. Humming is one of the main ways alpacas communicate. When a baby alpaca is born, the mother and baby hum constantly. Alpacas also hum when they're curious, happy, worried, or cautious, and especially when they feel distressed, such as when they're separated from the herd. So a hum isn't one message. It's more like a tone of voice, and the situation tells you the rest.
Meet the Alpaca
Alpacas are domesticated members of the camel family from South America. Traditionally, they grazed in herds on the high meadows of the Andes, in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, at altitudes of roughly 11,000 to 16,000 feet. Today you'll find them on farms around the world, especially in North America, Europe, and Australia.
They're often mixed up with llamas, but alpacas are noticeably smaller and are mainly raised for their soft fiber. Scientists believe alpacas were bred from the wild vicuña at least 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. There are no known wild alpacas today. There are two breeds: the Huacaya, with crimped, wavy fiber, and the Suri, whose fiber hangs in straight locks.
A Hum for Every Mood
Because alpacas live in herds, staying in touch matters. Humming helps a mother and her baby, called a cria, stay connected, and it helps the group keep tabs on one another. Alpacas also say a lot with body language. Males tend to be more aggressive than females, and a dominant male may pin down a rival's head and neck to show who's boss.
Owners learn to read the rest of the body for clues. A curious, alert alpaca will sniff around, watch closely, or stand still and stare. A stressed one might hum along with other signs, like a wrinkle under the eye, drooling, rapid breathing, or stomping. Those warning signs can come right before an alpaca's least charming habit: spitting.
The Rest of the Alpaca Vocabulary
Humming is just the beginning. Alpacas snort when another alpaca invades their space, and they grumble, with a gurgling sound, to warn each other off. They also cluck, a bit like a hen. A mother clucks when she's worried about her cria, and males cluck to signal friendly behavior.
Then there are the loud ones. Alpacas scream, and their screams are extremely loud, when they're handled badly or when an enemy attacks. Males in a fight for dominance make a bird-like screech meant to intimidate the opponent.
About That Spitting
Not all alpacas spit, but all of them can. Sometimes it's just air and a little saliva. Often, though, it's a green, grassy mix brought up from the stomach. They mostly aim it at other alpacas, but now and then a human gets caught in the crossfire.
So if you ever visit an alpaca farm and hear that gentle humming, take a moment to listen. It might be a mother greeting her baby, a curious alpaca checking you out, or a herd member wondering where its friends went. Just keep an eye out for stomping feet.
