Alpacas’ appeal: Not just fleece but also friendship
After school, fifth-grader Sophia Lysantri can often be found hanging out with about 50 long-necked, adorable friends in Woodbine, Maryland. Sophia helps her family raise and care for alpacas.
Native to the Andes Mountains in South America, alpacas are domesticated camelids — not wild — and are related to camels and llamas. Their fleece, a silky natural fiber usually lighter and less scratchy than sheep wool, is popular for clothing. In the spring, shearing helps alpacas stay cool during summer.
One of Sophia’s favorite tasks is carding (untangling) the fiber before her mother hand-spins it into yarn. Alpaca fiber comes in many beautiful natural colors ranging from pure white to black, as well as many shades of brown, beige and gray, but Sophia loves dying the fiber to make bright colors. Her family sells yarn, natural fiber and homemade alpaca products.
Alpacas are low-impact animals. When grazing, they eat just the tops of grass rather than pulling it up as cows do. Alpacas’ soft two-toed, padded feet do less damage to the ground than horse hooves.
“Alpacas are not aggressive at all. They’re very gentle,” Sophia said. “The more time you spend with them, the friendlier they are.” And they hum — really! It’s a sweet communication sound, but it reflects many emotions, such as being content, cautious or worried.
Sophia, who often gives tours of her family’s farm (by appointment only), is frequently asked whether alpacas spit.
“Only when they are stressed, and then usually they spit at each other,” she said. She advises visitors to “stand quietly and let the animals come to you,” cautioning that “they don’t like having their heads touched. Stroke them