Fleecy and friendly, alpacas are low-impact animals

AFTER school, fifth-grader Sophia Lysantri can often be found hanging out with about 50 longnecked, 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 fibre usually lighter and less scratchy than sheep wool, is popular for clothing. In the spring, shearing – a whole-body haircut – helps alpacas stay cool during the summer.

One of Sophia’s favourite tasks is carding (untangling) the fibre before her mother hand-spins it into yarn. Alpaca fibre comes in many beautiful natural colours ranging from pure white to black, as well as many shades of brown, beige and grey, but Sophia loves dying the fibre to make bright colours.

Her family sells yarn, natural fibre 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 gently on the neck or back”.

“You can’t have just one alpaca,” said Brandon Tenney, 16, who helps his family raise alpacas in Catlett, Virginia. “They’re very social animals.”

The Alpaca Owners Association notes, “Alpacas have very strong herding instincts and need the companionship of other alpacas to thrive.” – Washington Post

PICTURE: ANN CAMERON SIEGAL WOOLLY COMPANIONS: Sophia Lysantri, 11, with some of her recently shorn alpaca friends at the family’s farm in Woodbine, Maryland. ‘They’re very gentle,’ she says of alpacas, which are cousins of camels and llamas.