Kent Life is set to welcome three cute and mischievous Alpacas this February, making it the first time ever that this species of animal will be able to call Kent Life, home.
The three distinctly coloured Alpacas (white, black and brown), who are all male and just 18 months old, will be introduced to their new home on 4 February and settled in ready to welcome visitors during February half term.
The Alpacas were brought across from QuarterHouse Alpacas, a breeder on the Kent and Sussex border, with a reputation for breeding friendly, fun and halter trained Alpacas, which is a perfect fit for Kent Life – a place known for its affable and cuddly collection of animals including sheep, donkeys and rabbits.
The only problem is that the Alpacas don’t have names! But this is where you come in. Kent Life is looking for some really quirky and maybe even traditional names to call the new residents. The entrants with the winning suggestions will be invited to meet the Alpacas and will also win an adoption pack for the year.
Emily Hirons, general manager at Kent Life, said: “The whole team here at Kent Life are really excited to be able to welcome the new residents and these amazing animals provide the opportunity for our visitors to experience something completely different from the normal here, and provide an extra ’wow‘ factor for a day out at Kent Life.”
Alpacas are very friendly and are believed to have been domesticated for more than 6000 years. Alpaca wool has long been proven to be a useful resource, for example one Peruvian tribe used Alpaca wool to make everything from clothing to bridges! Over time Alpacas have been transported to many different regions but only reached England and Kent in significant numbers in the last 20 years, since when their ability to actively protect livestock from foxes and other predators has earnt them a valuable role in modern farming. Kent provides excellent conditions for Alpacas to live and breed successfully with plenty of land, resources and a favourable climate.