Vicuñas welcome a new arrival

Animal news | 26 July 2025

On Thursday 17 July, female vicuña Alegra gave birth to a healthy cria (baby vicuña). The baby was born during the day in the outdoor enclosure, so the birth was witnessed by some lucky visitors as well as the keepers. It all went very smoothly. The youngster, named Helge, is doing well and can already be spotted around the enclosure.

The vicuña is a species of ungulate belonging to the camel family, and is the wild ancestor of the alpaca. Vicuña wool is among the finest and most valuable in the world. Like rodents, vicuñas have lower incisors that grow continuously throughout their life.