Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes a New Herd of Alpacas

Chicago (June 12, 2025) – Six alpacas are making themselves at home at Lincoln Park Zoo this spring. The herd, which consists of females Starlight, Zsa Zsa, Maya, Sara, Grettle, and Gracie, have taken up residence at the southernmost habitat in the zoo’s South Loop area.

The herd’s member ranges in age from 1 to 24 years, and each alpaca has her own unique look. Starlight has the lightest fur and with a curly fleece topknot on her head; Zsa Zsa’s coat is slightly darker than Starlight’s and her topknot is straight; Gracie’s coat is a caramel color and her face is quite dark in contrast. Maya, Sara, and Grettle all have black fleece, with Maya having the darkest coloring and no distinct topknot; Grettle’s topknot looks like long bangs that fall over her eyes; Sara is the lightest of the three black-fleeced alpacas and her topknot is quite poofy.

“These six ladies have quickly won over their care team with their sweet personalities and friendly demeanors,” said Dan Boehm, Curator at Lincoln Park Zoo. “It’s great to welcome back such a beloved species to Lincoln Park Zoo, and we’re excited for people to meet the new herd!”

This is the first time since 2019 that there have been alpacas at Lincoln Park Zoo. The species is known to be gentle and social, with a full roster of vocalizations ranging from a droning hum to an alarm call used to alert the rest of the herd to danger. They’re also known to communicate through body language, expressing themselves through head tilts and neck posturing.

Alpacas have a native range in the Andes Mountains, spanning from Colombia and Ecuador to Argentina. This makes them a great fit for Chicago’s climate, as they are covered in a thick, soft fleece that keeps them comfortable in the wintry, high-altitude conditions of the South American mountains—and in the Windy City’s wintry conditions.

This species was first domesticated by Andean people over 6,000 years ago from wild camelids called vicunas and currently thrive in farmed situations. Alpacas come in 22 coat colors from white and silver to dark brown and black, and were primarily domesticated for their soft wool, which can be woven into luxurious yarn. Female alpacas like the ones at Lincoln Park Zoo can produce roughly five pounds of fiber from their coats each year.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

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