Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes new herd of alpacas: PHOTOS

CHICAGO - A new group of alpacas has arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo, bringing soft fleece, curious looks, and gentle personalities back to the Chicago attraction for the first time in five years.

What we know:

Six female alpacas—Starlight, Zsa Zsa, Maya, Sara, Grettle, and Gracie—are now living in the southernmost habitat in the zoo’s South Loop area.

The herd ranges in age from just 1 year to 24 years old and each one looks a little different, making them easy for visitors to tell apart. Here's how the zoo described each of them:

• Starlight has the lightest fur and 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.

Dig deeper:

This is the first time since 2019 that alpacas have lived at the zoo.

Native to the Andes Mountains of South America, alpacas are naturally suited to Chicago’s winter climate thanks to their thick fleece. They were first domesticated more than 6,000 years ago and currently thrive on farms.

Each of the zoo’s alpacas can produce around five pounds of fiber each year.

What they're saying:

"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!"