Have you ever hugged an alpaca?

If you haven't, run out and hug one today...because they are cute beyond belief and twice as sweet! I was lucky enough to spend some time at the Alpaca Bella Suri Farm a few weeks ago. I'm friends with the owner, Bill, and he let me come over to photograph and play with the little cuties!

A baby Suri Alpaca, called a cria, rests in the play yard watching all the action.

...taking a quick nap!

There are two types of alpacas, Suri Alpacas and Huacaya Alpacas. You can tell the difference between the two by their fleece:

Suri Alpacas

Suris have silky, flowing fleece. It lies close to the body and hangs down in shiny locks (almost like a curtain of silky, pencil-thin dreadlocks). Suris are rare, and breeders are working hard to preserve the breed. Right now, Suris account for only 6% of the world's population.

Huacaya Alpacas

Huacayas have wooly fleece like a lamb. The fleece sticks out from the body and is dense, soft...and curly. They look a little like long-necked Teddy bears and are just as cuddly!

I am going to try to post all week on the alpacas, introducing little bits of info here and there, and showing the two different types. I learned a lot from Bill...they are incredible animals.

...another post in the A Week of Alpacas series...