If You Need Something to Cheer You Up, This Adorable Footage of a Baby Alpaca Hugging Its Mom Will Do the Trick
If you need a quick mood boost, this baby alpaca video has the kind of charm that can stop a scroll in its tracks. There is something about animals being affectionate that always seems to hit harder than expected.
Sierra Santiago and her young daughter were visiting the Alpaca Boutique in Medina, Ohio, when they saw a baby alpaca sprint toward its mom for a hug. The moment was already sweet, but the tiny burst of enthusiasm made it even more memorable.
Santiago had her camera ready, and the result is a scene that feels almost too adorable to be real. Read on.
Alpacas Are Closely Related to Llamas
The alpaca is a domesticated South American member of the camel family, Camelidae, and is closely related to other lamoids, llamas and guanacos. Alpacas inhabit marshy mountainous areas from southern Colombia and Ecuador south to northern Chile and northern Argentina.
They are slender-bodied animals with long necks and legs, a short tail, a small head, and large pointed ears. They were domesticated in the Andes Mountains between 6,000 and 7,000 years ago.
People often confuse alpacas and llamas. The most noticeable difference between the two animals is their size.
Alpacas are smaller, standing around 35 inches high at the shoulder and weighing between 121 and 143 pounds. Llamas are the largest lamoid, reaching about 47 inches at the shoulder and weighing around 250 pounds.
This means llamas are significantly bigger than their cousins. Their faces are also different: alpacas have small, blunt faces with short ears, while llamas have more elongated faces with banana-sized ears.
Another key difference is their hair. Alpacas have shaggy hair that is used for fleece production.
They Were Domesticated Between 6,000 and 7,000 Years Ago
They are bred for their fur. During the period of Incan civilization, wearing robes made of alpaca fleece was reserved for the nobility and royalty.
Their hair is remarkably lightweight, strong, lustrous, high in insulation value, and resistant to rain and snow. It is used in parkas, sleeping bags, and fine coat linings.
Speaking of alpaca energy, Portland Airport’s therapy llamas are there for nonstop feel-good hugs.
And We Are So Glad for That!
Watch the Sweet Scene:
We don’t know why the baby alpaca made the surprising (and incredibly cute) decision, but people online are taking their guesses. Someone suggested that the little one got jealous after the girl approached its beloved mom.
“She’s MY mommy, not yours!” one person commented. It’s just what a human child would do!
Want more reunion magic? Watch the mother sloth joyfully reunite with her lost baby.
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