Three Huacaya alpacas are among the latest additions to the National Zoo, but you have only a few weeks left to see their thick coats. Check out our photo slideshow of some of these oddly adorable animals.
The South American animals, all males, were bought from a Virginia farmer, and they bunk with the cows on the Kids’ Farm.
Ziggy, the brown alpaca, is the biggest, weighing 112 pounds and towering at 41⁄2 feet. Cirrus is the white one; his hair is fluffy like a cloud. Orion, the year-old, weighs only 66 pounds.
“They are very curious animals,” says Margaret Kelty, the zookeeper who has been helping the new arrivals settle in. She says that alpacas are among the few animals domesticated specifically for their fiber—a cashmere-like wool used mostly for clothing and blankets.
“We will shear them in late April or early May; otherwise they will be too hot in the summer,” she says.
Check below for our photo slideshow of the zoo's alpacas.
New at the Zoo: Want to Cuddle?
Three Huacaya alpacas are among the latest additions to the National Zoo, but you have only a few weeks left to see their thick coats. Check out our photo slideshow of some of these oddly adorable animals.
The South American animals, all males, were bought from a Virginia farmer, and they bunk with the cows on the Kids’ Farm.
Ziggy, the brown alpaca, is the biggest, weighing 112 pounds and towering at 41⁄2 feet. Cirrus is the white one; his hair is fluffy like a cloud. Orion, the year-old, weighs only 66 pounds.
“They are very curious animals,” says Margaret Kelty, the zookeeper who has been helping the new arrivals settle in. She says that alpacas are among the few animals domesticated specifically for their fiber—a cashmere-like wool used mostly for clothing and blankets.
“We will shear them in late April or early May; otherwise they will be too hot in the summer,” she says.
Check below for our photo slideshow of the zoo's alpacas.
Photos by Jennifer Molay.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Speaker Johnson’s Megabill Prayers Likely to Be Answered Before Holiday Weekend, Wrongly Deported Maryland Man Faced Abuse in El Salvador Prison, and We Found Some Yummy Nepalese Food
Pardoned J6er Will Join Ed Martin’s Justice Department Office, Trump Outlines Hypothetical Alligator Escape Plan, and We Have Fireworks Show Recommendations
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum” Is Coming to DC. Here’s a Preview.
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
The Commanders Wine and Dine DC Council Members; GOP Senator Suggests Tax Language Was “Airdropped” Into Spending Bill; and Trump Wants DOGE to Investigate Musk
100 Reasons to Love DC Right Now
How DC’s Attorney General Got So Good at Double Dutch
DC Council Ponders New Way to Expel Trayon White, the GOP’s Budget Bill Advances, and We Found You Some Tacos With Ethiopian Flair