Alfie the alpaca goes on the cutest adventures
An Ode to... is a weekly column where we share the stuff we're really into in hopes that you'll be really into it, too.
The internet loves anything to do with cute and cuddly animals, and alpacas are no exception. Not to be confused with llamas, alpacas look similar but are a bit smaller. While there are a decent number of alpaca dedicated instagram accounts, this one is particularly adorable.
Alfie is an alpaca from Adelaide, South Australia. Jeff and Sophie, Alfie's parents, took him in in September of 2018. According to Sophie, Jeff loved Alfie at first sight after seeing another man walking him down the street. After a few weeks of research, Jeff had a "yolo moment" and the rest was history.
After getting acclimated to his new home, Jeff and Sophie decided to take him on little adventures. Like any good boy Alfie likes to picnic at the park (lots of good grass for eating there), go to the beach, and play hide and seek.
Alfie's love for the beach is pure. Just look at how excited he gets when he hits the sand. And we can hardly blame him, there's nothing quite like that feeling of your toes (or for Alfie his entire body) hitting sand on a warm summer day.
He has accrued some 236 thousand followers in the short while he's been on Instagram. Alfie often takes these followers with him on his suburban adventures, like going to the park.
He tries new restaurants.
Like any happy and healthy pet, Alfie has tons of friends who he hangs out with. In fact, he was so happy to see a goat pal he jumped for joy right over him. Necause alpacas are social animals and can get depressed if they're too lonely, Alfie has play dates with other alpacas, dogs, and rabbits.
As cute as Alfie is, please remember that alpacas aren't just like dogs, so if you're thinking about getting one for your own backyard make sure you have done the proper research like Alfie's parents.
Charlotte is one of the new Culture Fellows at Mashable. She's a recent Ithaca College alum and avid Jeopardy fan. When she's not watching the Great British Baking show, you can probably find her at the local book store or working on her latest art project.
