Photo of the day: A young Peruvian girl rests with her baby alpaca named Carmelo near Colca Canyon, Peru. There is no such thing as a wild alpaca because they were domesticated several thousands of years ago by the Moche people of northern Peru. During the reign of the Inca empire, alpacas played several vital roles for the Andean people, including food, fuel, clothing and transportation. Because of their tremendous value, the Incan government strictly controlled their use, which allowed alpacas to flourish and reach populations of tens of millions of individuals.

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(Source: mothernaturenetwork, via archofroses)