The Wonders of God’s Creation
In the South American countries of Bolivia, Argentina and Peru and nearby parts of the high Andes Mountains, large numbers of lively and playful alpacas seem to enjoy their time spent eating the tall grass and chewing their cuds. They are a lovable type of animal with odd but pleasant-looking, inquisitive white faces. Their expressions seem friendly when they look you over with what appears to be a big smile. They also have long, thick necks and upright, alert ears.
They are short, thick-bodied animals, looking like a huge stuffed toy, with coats of fleecy brown, black or white wool which covers them from head to feet like a huge blanket. Actually related to the camel and llama families, they are only about three to four feet high at their shoulders, although their long necks make them appear to be much taller. Even-toed and hoofed and about as nimble as mountain goats, they are right at home on the high, steep slopes of the Andes Mountains.
For as far back as anyone remembers, numbers of alpacas have been tamed, given good care and raised by many ranchers. Their valuable wool, when about twelve inches long, is sheared usually every year, and each one produces about six pounds. In Peru alone, where some two million of these animals are raised for that purpose, about three thousand tons (more than six million pounds) of wool are sheared every year. So you can see it is a large business and valued by the native people. (Maybe you have a sweater made of alpaca wool.)
While llamas and alpacas look alike to anyone not familiar with them, there are, of course, differences in them. One of these is that the llamas are stronger and principally used as pack animals, carrying loads across the plains and mountain passes, whereas alpacas cannot be used that way. Another easy-to-spot difference is that the alpaca holds its stubby tail close to its body at all times, while the llama holds it longer tail up in the air.
The Creator has given all these animals whose homes are from 12,000 to 16,000 feet above sea level, extra-large lungs and three times as many important red blood corpuscles as man has, which enable them to live and be active at altitudes where there is less oxygen.
It is interesting to consider the vast number of animals placed on the earth by the Creator, and we know He found pleasure in providing a great variety of them. The Bible clearly tells us this, saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:1111Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11). Have you ever praised Him and thanked Him for His care and love shown to you?
ML-07/12/1987