PEOPLE are flocking to see the new arrival at Wellybobs Farm Park, in Darwen – a beautiful baby alpaca.

Mum Mimi has just given birth to her tenth offspring at the farm park, who has been named Harry by bosses at the attraction.

And Wellybobs owner Heath Kershaw said the two-week-old huacaya alpaca had already proved popular with visitors.

He said: “Babies are always very popular as it is nice to see something different.

“Harry is our first new-born of 2013, but he is probably Mimi’s last baby as she is 13 now.”

Mr Kershaw said alpacas were becoming quite rare in the UK.

He said: “Alpacas are not particularly popular animals.

“They have become our new farming enterprise as we are trying to build up the population across the country.”

Social herd animals

  • Alpacas are a domesticated species of South American camelid.
  • They were bred specifically for ‘alpaca fibre’, which is used to make knitted and woven items.
  • The animals can live for up to 20 years.
  • Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups consisting of a territorial alpha male, females, and their young.
  • They use a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. This behaviour tends to limit the spread of internal parasites.
  • Alpacas require much less food than most animals of their size, and they generally eat hay, or grass.