Islamabad (TDI): Visitors to a zoo near Pakistan’s capital city can now have a cup of coffee while alpacas wander just a few feet away.
The attraction, called “Coffee with Alpaca,” lets families sit at café tables beside the animals’ enclosure. Guests can watch, feed and pet the alpacas, which sometimes stretch their necks over the fence to greet people.
The zoo says its ten imported alpacas are the only herd of their kind in Pakistan. The animals, native to the highlands of South America, are a rare sight in the country, and the zoo is promoting the experience as a chance to see them up close.
A footage from October 25 shows children and adults stroking and feeding the animals while several young alpacas drew particular attention.
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White, brown and dark-coated animals were seen resting, roaming the enclosure and approaching visitors. Alpacas and llamas share the space, so some of the curious four-legged neighbours at the next table are llamas.
Bringing the animals to Islamabad was not a simple and easy process. Alpacas are suited to the cool climate of the Andes, while the Pakistani capital has hot summers. Muhammad Younas, general manager of Multi Zoo, said the alpacas arrived during the summer months. To protect them from the heat, staff installed air coolers around their enclosure.
Cafés where customers drink alongside animals have become a familiar attraction in several countries, and Islamabad’s version adds an unusual species to the mix.
Whether the alpacas will be comfortable in the capital’s climate over the long term, particularly through next summer, remains to be seen. For now, the heat-protection measures appear to be working, and the herd has become the zoo’s newest attraction.
