The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘Herd’ of a way to relieve stress – hug an alpaca
St Andrews students take a break from exam hell to cuddle the lovely animals
We are not pulling the wool over your eyes.
Alpacas really were helping St Andrews students escape exam stress.
A herd of the super soft camelids roamed the lawn of St Salvator’s Hall and, for a donation, students were able to have a cuddle.
Alpacas, native to South America, are renowned for their luxurious coats and students were able to take a break from exams, chill out with the beasts and snap an unusual selfie.
Jemima Ford was one of the first in the queue yesterday. The 19-year-old is in her first year studying international relations and was taking a well-earned break from her books.
“We’re doing exams just now so I needed some stress relief,” she said.
“The alpacas are lovely – very soft, very sweet. I feel at one with life and the universe now. My next exam’s on Tuesday, so this will see me through.”
The fundraising event was arranged by a team of students who are to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in June next year in aid of Childreach International.
The animals were brought in by Bowbridge Alpacas, based in nearby Peat Inn, who had staff on hand to ensure they were not overwhelmed by the attention.
Calum Booth, one of the organisers, said: “The alpacas were fantastic, it was really exciting to see them.
“People were coming out of exams and coming straight here and they looked very happy. “It’s a great way to relieve stress. “We had alpacas at the university last year and it was one of the most well received events so we wanted to get them back.”
Calum is one of 15 members of the St Andrews Childreach International Society preparing to climb Africa’s highest mountain. Further fundraisers are planned before their voyage.
Sarah Johnson, Bowbridge farm manager, said, “It is always great to spread the love for these fascinating animals and we are pleased to be able to support not only our local students but children internationally too.”
Alpacas are often mistaken for llamas but are smaller and were bred for their fleece rather than as beasts of burden.
They are pack animals, huddling together to protect one another from predators and are increasingly used for guarding lambs and poultry.
The Bowbridge herd was started last year and the Johnson family have big plans for making the most of their new charges. They already sell the alpacas’ wool and are hoping to start offering trekking experiences for visitors in the new year.