Happy Easter! This picture was taken yesterday. We were going for a drive and passed an alpaca farm, where we stopped to look at the new arrival. Its the little guy that the white alpacas are looking at. He was just born yesterday, the day before we were there to take this snapshot. They have to keep the newborns separated from the herd as they can be trampled. Mother alpacas are very attentive parents, however this was the first offspring of the brownish alpaca standing beside the baby. The trainer/handler told us that alpaca mothers (or even the handlers) do not know they are pregnant, and they will just drop the baby where they're standing! These alpacas from this farm are raised for their fur which is warmer than wool and less itchy - I guess it's big business around our area - they also raise them as sires for breeding or to show. Alpacas are considered to be very docile and gentle animals unlike their relatives, llamas. Their coats keep them warm in our climate and even their droppings are perfect as manure. I'll keep you posted with more photos as the baby ages!
