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COAL VALLEY — You can call it a September surprise. A baby alpaca was born at Niabi Zoo Sept. 1 to a 4-year-old mother, Paila, and 3-year-old father, Mani.Although alpacas have a gestation period of 11 to 12 months, primary hoofstock keeper Kristina Stump said zookeepers had no idea Paila was pregnant until a few weeks before she gave birth.Stump said the alpacas arrived at the zoo two years ago. "When we got the alpacas in, we were intending for them to breed," Stump said. "We knew she was pregnant but didn't know how far along."Stump said zookeepers knew something...

PERU - Instead of exporting the raw materials, we want to export more value-added products," Raul Rivera, marketing manager of Michell and Cia, an Arequipa, Peru-based maker of alpaca fibre, yarns and garments, told just-style. Peru has more than 3.6 million alpacas, or 80% of the world's total. There are resources to do this. Peru has more than 3.6 million alpacas, or 80% of the world's total, according to data from the country's ministry of agriculture. And while the fine, long wool of this shaggy animal has been traditionally exported, especially over the past two decades, more local manufacturers have...

MARTHA'S VINEYARD - What do you get when you take a beach stroll with some alpacas and add a couple in love? Well, in some Island cases, you get a wedding. Logan Steinfeld and Kelly Girskis get engaged with alpacas' assistance in popping the question. Including alpacas in a marriage proposal might not occur to everyone, but it was part of the equation for Henry Luessen last year. He and Hannah Schriesheim were old friends at Island Alpaca from previous visits, so when Luessan began to think about proposing, it seemed like a good fit. “I had found out about their beach...