We are thrilled to announce the birth of an adorable baby alpaca, otherwise known as a ‘cria’. Phantom, one of our resident alpacas, gave birth to the little boy on Monday the 5th of June after an 11-month pregnancy. Although it’s still early days, both mum and baby are doing well. The cute little cria was even up and walking about just hours after being born.
The adorable new arrival has been named Sir Steveo in honour of one of our keepers, Steven Campbell. Steven explained more, ‘We are so excited to welcome Wee Steveo to the Pets Farm gang. He’s unbelievably cute and although he’s still sticking close to mum, he is getting more confident every day. I’m so touched that the team agreed to name him after me. I had initially made the suggestion as a bit of a joke, but over the course of the week, it just seemed to gain more and more traction. It’s an honour to be able to help care for my little namesake.’
Alpacas are gentle, mild-mannered animals who enjoy the companionship of their herd. They will often hum to each other as a form of communication, and it’s very common to hear both mum and baby hum frequently in the early days after birth. They also engage in nose-touching as part of their bonding process.
If you happen to visit the park, be sure to stop by the Pets Farm area and see Wee Steveo. You might even have the chance to hear him hum!
