Alpacas drink on a property near the township of Boorowa, located 400 km (250 miles) southwest of Sydney in this November 19, 1997 file photo. Australian sheep farmers are finding Alpacas as the perfect weapon against foxes. Bob Richardson, vice president of the Australian Alpaca Association, said on July 25, 2002 that in the past year the miniature camels from the high Andes have developed a reputation as highly protective sheep guardians and sales are taking off. PHOTO – REUTERS

SYDNEY Reuters - Cute, cuddly, fleece-covered alpacas don‘t quite fit the image of a snarling guard dog. But Australian sheep farmers are finding the llama-like creatures to be the perfect weapon against foxes. Bob Richardson, vice president of the Australian Alpaca Association, said that in the past year the miniature camels from the high Andes have developed a reputation as highly protective sheep guardians and sales are taking off. „We don‘t think of them as sheep guardians attacking the fox and biting it to pieces,“ Richardson told Reuters. „They race at it and scream at it and the fox is not used to animals attacking it of course and generally speaking the foxes disappear.“

It is not known how many of Australia‘s 35,000-strong alpaca herd — the largest outside Peru and Chile — are patrolling the island continent‘s grazing lands. But alpaca breeder Geoff Fysh from Gidgegannup in Western Australia said that he had sold around 200 in the past two years, most as sheep, goat or even geese guardians. Male alpacas can develop so-called „fighting“ incisor teeth designed to castrate their opponents. But Fysh said that only wethered, or castrated, alpacas, which do not tend to grow the teeth, were suitable for protecting sheep.

They also need to be at least two years old, „a few life experiences under their belt, a bit more streetwise,“ Fysh said. The alpacas bond easily with sheep and are extremely protective, often sacrificing themselves to save their charges. „They‘re no match against a pack of rottweilers or something like that but anything small or medium-sized, they‘re pretty good,“ said Fysh.

When they sight danger, alpacas emit an ear-piercing shriek that alerts the sheep and also the farmer. They then tend to try and corner the attacker. „Usually a fox is too quick and will get over a fence…but there are a handful of anecdotes of alpacas actually catching up with a fox and they will kill them if they get a chance,“ said Fysh. „That‘s usually by trampling on them with their front feet which would be a pretty slow death…they don‘t have a hoof or anything,“ he added.

Reuters