Alpacas are gentle, domesticated members of the camelid family, often perceived as serene and silent. As prey animals living in organized herds, their primary mode of communication is subtle and non-confrontational. While they lack the loud vocal range of many other livestock, alpacas possess a sophisticated repertoire of sounds and actions used to maintain social order and convey emotional states.
The Characteristic Alpaca Hum
The most frequent and defining sound an alpaca makes is a low-frequency noise known as a hum. This soft, internal sound acts as the primary means of communication among herd members, often heard when the animals are relaxed and curious about their surroundings. The hum is not a single, uniform sound, but varies subtly in pitch and tone to convey different meanings.
Alpacas commonly hum to express a variety of emotional states, including contentment, interest, and sometimes distress. Dams (mother alpacas) and crias (offspring) will hum constantly to one another for the first several weeks after birth to establish a bond. This same vocalization can signal worry or anxiety, such as when an animal is separated from its group or feels cautious about a new object. The context and the accompanying body language are necessary to correctly interpret the hum’s specific message.
Decoding Specific Vocalizations
Beyond the general hum, alpacas utilize distinct, louder vocalizations for urgent messages. The most unique is the “orgle,” a sound exclusively made by the male alpaca during copulation. This throaty, guttural, and rhythmic vocalization can continue throughout the entire mating period, helping to induce ovulation in the female.
For a collective warning, alpacas use a distinct alarm call, which is a loud, undulating squeal or whistle. This high-pitched sound alerts the entire herd to bunch together for protection when a threat is perceived. If an alpaca is experiencing extreme pain, fear, or anger, it will produce a loud, shrill scream, such as when males fight or an animal is handled roughly.
Other short, sharp sounds are used for social maintenance. A snort is a nasal exhalation used to signal irritation and tell another alpaca to move away. A deep grumble is a milder warning, often used when another animal is encroaching on feeding space.
Communication Beyond Vocal Cords
Alpacas also rely on sounds that are not strictly vocal cord utterances, often intertwined with clear body language. One such sound is a clucking or clicking noise, which can be an expression of curiosity or a friendly greeting. Dams often use a soft cluck to call their crias back to them.
The most well-known non-vocal sound is associated with spitting, a powerful action used to enforce personal boundaries and dominance. The initial warning is often a “dry air spit,” which creates a distinct noise as the air is forcibly expelled. If the warning is ignored, the alpaca will follow through with a “green spit,” a foul-smelling mixture of regurgitated stomach contents. Females frequently use this aggressive tactic to reject male advances or to protect their food source.