Shear Fun at Island Alpaca
Shearer Matt Best moves Angelina the alpaca onto the shearing mats.
Shearer Matt Best moves Angelina the alpaca onto the shearing mats.
Fleece is clipped off as a blanket.
Fleece is clipped off as a blanket.
Angelina the alpaca sporting her new haircut outside.
Angelina the alpaca sporting her new haircut outside.
Roberto the alpaca watches shearing from his stall.
Roberto the alpaca watches shearing from his stall.
Nicola Blake separates good fleece from better fleece once blankets are clipped off.
Nicola Blake separates good fleece from better fleece once blankets are clipped off.
A quick buzz cut on the neck.
A quick buzz cut on the neck.
Baby alpaca Atticus Rex gets his first-ever clipping.
Baby alpaca Atticus Rex gets his first-ever clipping.
Not quite golden fleece, but still soft to the touch.
Not quite golden fleece, but still soft to the touch.
Another shearing day comes to an end.
Another shearing day comes to an end.
The alpacas at Island Alpaca get just one haircut per year, and it's dramatic. Their winter fleece--about three inches thick on a full-grown adult--gets clipped away, showing off their long legs and long necks. Alpacas were bred specifically for this fleece, which is stronger than wool.
78 animals were sheared over the course of two days this weekend, leaving behing more than 600 pounds of fleece. Dreary weather outside didn't stop crowds from trickling through the barn to watch the process, led by a team of professional shearers visiting from New Hampshire. The fleece will next be sent to a fiber mill and fiber co-op to be turned into yarn, hats, gloves, and socks.
Milo, a two-year-old male, sheared off the most fleece of any alpaca: 11.8 pounds.