The alpaca is a small South American camelid that, along with llamas, belongs to the New World camelids. The wild ancestors of the alpaca are the guanaco and the vicuña. There are two recognized breeds of alpaca: Huacaya and Suri. They differ in their fleece (wool). The Huacaya has shorter, crimped wool, while the Suri has long wool that hangs down the sides of its body. Alpacas are intelligent, gentle, and lovable animals, each with its own character. Some are very affectionate, while others are more shy. They are very alert; in case of danger, they emit a warning call but do not flee immediately, instead assessing the situation for its level of threat. In his interesting book, Bernd Düsel not only shares insights about life with alpacas but also focuses on cats and runner ducks, complemented by many illustrations.