As life in the Llama Sanctuary trudges on through the winter, the novelty of crunchy hay wears off and everyone gets a little tired of the restrictions imposed by the narrow trails though the snow. Whilst humans await the re-emergence of the garden soil and the promise that it brings, the llamas gaze upward in the trees seeking the fresh buds that herald spring and the patches of bare ground that emerge from under the Big White Blanket announcing the arrival of grass and a bath …oh, what wouldn’t they give for a roll in the dust?
In spite of 
these restrictions, we still try to get the llamas out into the forest on a daily basis, to forage for tidbits. It’s quite amazing what the llamas find to eat in the bleakness, but once coerced into the trek, they happily graze for hours on willow tips, pine needles, cedar, marsh grasses, dead leaves that cling tenaciously to the branches and even little scraps uncovered by squirrels. This is their natural way of eating. It’s also fun and a great pleasure to accompany the llamas ….and the alpacas, as they venture out each day and we thought you might like to join us. The alpacas really don’t enjoy the foraging and they are usually quite unhappy, if forced to go out. They will graze a bit here and there, but they soon start moaning and looking for a way to get back to the hay byre …boring! Today we join the big group of twenty girls (and one elderly male who prefers to be with the girls) and leave the boys back in the paddock.
We put together this short video, called a Winter’s Walk with the Llamas, which opens a little window on life in the Llama Sanctuary for all to see. We hope you enjoy it!