ZOOKEEPERS have shared their joy after welcoming a new baby alpaca.
The baby was born to alpaca Louise at Colchester Zoo last week.
Zookeepers have confirmed the baby is a boy and have named him Louis.
Louise is the youngest of the female alpacas at the zoo and arrived at the Maldon Road attraction in September last year.
A Colchester Zoo spokesman said: “The team were able to identify the gender of the young cria instantly as male and has since named him Louis.
“Louis will suckle from him mum until he is weaned, which is around five to six months old.
“Alpaca milk is lower in fat and salt than cows’ milk, as well as being higher in calcium and phosphorus.
“Due to the low-fat content of the milk, Louis will need to suckle from Louise frequently to help boost his growth.”
Alpacas are domesticated animals and originate from Peru.
They are kept for their fleece, also known as fibre, which is very thick and warm.
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