There are close to 28,500 alpacas in Canada — an increase of nearly 50 per cent over the past 14 years, according to the Canadian Llama and Alpaca Association. Nearly 40 per cent of the country's llama and alpaca population is in Alberta. Leanne said it's a lengthy process to turn alpaca fibre into yarn, which is in high demand. Jody Pellerin, vice-president of the Canadian Llama and Alpaca Association, said more and more uses are being found for the fibre. As for new owners of alpacas, Pellerin recommends people register their animals with the association so their genetic lineage can be tracked.

Source: CBC News July 14, 2020 13:00 UTC