Alpacas are odd-looking creatures. There, I said it. Cute, but odd-looking. This alien species imported from South America is valued for its fine hair. Unfortunately, not all alpacas are highly valued, and some end up at organizations like Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue in Olympia, Washington. Here, unwanted or abused animals get a loving second chance with devoted caretakers and a few rescued horses for company.
One of the resident alpacas is blind, but seems to get around just fine. Pictured above is the youngest current resident, who never seems to pause in his eating. He repeatedly plunges his face deep into a stack of hay, emerging with a mouthful as well as other strands of hay stuck haphazardly to his face. Do take a moment to admire his excessively long reddish-brown eyelashes. I’m hoping to visit the apacas again soon; one of the females is pregnant, and I’m curious to see what a newborn looks like. Probably even more alien — in a cute way, of course.
(1/125 sec., f/4.2, ISO200).
cute!!