Meet an alpaca in Northland for National Alpaca Day on Sunday

National Alpaca Day is on again Sunday with two Northland alpaca farms opening their doors for the public to see the cuddly critters. Photo / File.

Northlanders keen to get up close to cuddly alpaca can do so at two Northland farms on Sunday - National Alpaca Day.

May 2 is National Alpaca Day – a day set aside each year when alpaca farmers throughout New Zealand open their farms to the public.

It's billed as a day to celebrate all things alpaca and to share the joy of owning them and working with what is often described as the Fibre of the Gods.

Alpacas are to be found throughout New Zealand and have become popular with lifestyle and commercial farmers alike. Their good looks, natural curiosity, and their exquisite wool or fibre with its range of natural colours has been a real drawcard.

Alpacas are intelligent animals that are easily halter-trained – generally they are placid and gentle around children.

The alpaca, from South America, is part of the Camelid family which includes llamas, vicunas, guanacos and camels

The alpaca, sometimes confused with the llama, is bred for its luxurious, soft handling wool or fibre, whereas the llama is bred as a pack or companion animal.

There are two types of alpaca: the more common huacaya and the suri. The huacaya fleece is more like that of a sheep with defined staples and a crimp-like appearance to the staple. The suri fleece has a silky, slippery feel to it and hangs in dreadlocks.

The first alpacas arrived into New Zealand in 1986 from the Chester Zoo in England.

Imports from Peru and Chile in the late 1980s and early 1990s formed the nucleus of the national alpaca herd of today.

On Sunday Northlanders can visit Kerdon Alpaca, 385 Baldrock Rd, Kaiwaka, from 10am to 2pm, and Silverhill Alpacas, 308a Arapaoa Rd, Tinopai, from 10am to 3pm.