All over Britain, in the most unsuspecting places, you can stumble upon a little piece of the South American Andes. We may be a long way from the mountainous terrain of Peru, Chile and Bolivia but that hasn’t stopped the UK becoming home to tens of thousands of alpacas.
Prized by the Inca civilisation for 5,000 years, these charming creatures – with their wide eyes and alert ears – have instant appeal, and they are much more intelligent than they look.
What are alpacas?
Alpacas are a camelid, closely related to their more famous cousin, the llama. The other three species of camelids are camels, guanacos and vicunas.
Alpacas first came to Britain back in the 1990s when 3,000 were imported here. Today, there are around 35,000 alpacas on farms and smallholdings all over the UK and they’ve really found a place in the hearts of the nation’s animal-lovers.
How big are alpacas?
Alpacas are the smallest camelid, standing about 91 cm at their shoulder
Why are alpacas farmed?
But just why are so many people farming alpacas in Britain? Well, there are several answers. The most common reason is for breeding, with the stud stock industry the primary profit-maker for owners. But the other main reason is alpaca wool.
Alpaca wool
Then there’s the money that can be made off the back of alpacas – literally. They produce a luxurious fleece – it’s softer and smoother than sheep’s wool, grows in more than 20 natural colours, and can be spun easily into yarn.
The qualities of the alpaca fleece were first discovered in Britain more than 180 years ago by Sir Titus Salt. The story goes that the Bradford-based mill-owner, textile merchant and industrialist stumbled across some bales of imported alpaca wool in a warehouse.
Taking a sample to experiment with, he returned soon after to buy the entire consignment. It’s claimed that the discovery made him the richest man in Yorkshire and today he’s known as the founder of the modern alpaca industry. There’s a growing and very lucrative market in alpaca fibre, which many owners are taking full advantage of. I’m sure old Titus would approve.
Alpaca walking
For the majority of us, our best chance to experience these curious animals is on a specialist alpaca walk in the countryside. Over the years they have become part of the leisure industry, from Norfolk and Hampshire to the Scottish borders and the Welsh Valleys. Stuart Billinghurst and Emma Collison are an example of just how inventive alpaca farmers can be.
They started their business in 2011 when they moved from Plymouth to a 10.5-acre farm on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. The pair run alpaca walks, offering “outstanding views at alpaca pace”. It’s a great way to learn about livestock handling, animal husbandry and feeding by hand.
Stuart and Emma are also introducing people to the delights of alpaca meat. I’ve tasted it and it’s wonderful – tender, lean, with a flavour like lamb or venison, and it’s free-range, too. The farm’s alpaca sausages have been winning awards all over the place. And they’ve recently launched an alpaca knitwear brand for babies. No doubt the next generation will also love the appeal of the alpaca.
Did you know alpacas make good guards? Some sheep and chicken breeders use these timid yet territorial creatures to guard their flocks against predators such as foxes.
