Vivien
The little white alpaca
Little Vivi is one of our newly adopted animals in Henndorf. Alpacas are bred not far from Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf. Vivi is just under one year old and has snow-white fur, is very delicately built and has the typical round alpaca snout, a smaller head than the llamas and white, curly fur that grows down over her forehead. Somehow she seems to be smiling from morning to night.
Vivi has a handicap - she is blind in her right eye
Little Vivi could not have been bred with as a blind animal...A walker became aware of Vivi's fate and immediately contacted Gut Aiderbichl. The animal friends didn't want the alpaca to meet a bad fate under no circumstances because of a blind eye.
Quietly and timidly she begins to "flirt" with her new surroundings
Vivi stands in the stable and comes when you call her. She is still a bit timid, but she is getting there. In the meantime, she flirts with the goats to the right of her stall and with our branded bull Stefan to the left.
The staff at Gut Aiderbichl have had enough experience with blind animals for many years and are confident that Vivi has no problem with her blind right eye. Slowly, the question arises whether Vivi will live together with the llamas or whether she, as a brave alpaca, would prefer to live with other animals in the stable. Here the rule is: wait and see.
Alpacas - like lamas - belong to the camel family.
Alpacas are the domesticated form of vicunas and were originally bred primarily for their exclusive wool. They feed almost exclusively on grasses. The females are pregnant for almost a whole year, giving birth after 345 days. The "cria" (Spanish for baby) is suckled for up to eight months.
Did you know that there are two types of alpaca? The difference lies in finely curled hair, typical of the Huacaya alpaca, and the curly, straight strands that belong to the Suri alpaca.
In general, alpacas are intelligent, curious and lovable animals, which little Vivi proves to us every day. How happy she was to discover our dromedaries - Adi, Mahli and Bibi - in Henndorf. Like our dromedaries, Vivi also has cloven hooves, but no humps.
Alpacas and lamas are used for animal-assisted therapy
Like all camels, alpacas are social animals and feel most comfortable in herds. They have a calm and peaceful character. That is why they are used for animal-assisted therapy. Of course, the animals at Gut Aiderbichl are no longer in the service of humans.
Our Vivien will simply be allowed to be a happy alpaca, blind in one eye. She will be accompanied and protected by her friends, just like our donkeys Noldi and little Lilly or the horse Koby. Thank you that there are always people who look and help the animals.
