It’s a girl! Leicester’s Twycross Zoo has welcomed a new female vicuña to its herd.  

Native to the Andes of South America, baby vicuñas — known as cria, which is Spanish for baby — belong to the same family as llamas, alpacas, and guanacos.  

Although zookeepers at Twycross Zoo suspected the mother was pregnant from her behaviours, vicuña are experts at concealing their pregnancies with the natural shape of their bodies and thick woolly fur — a strategy they use to protect themselves against predators.  

The newborn arrived last week and has quickly settled into the zoo’s herd, which now includes 4 vicuña — and remarkably, within 20 to 30 minutes of her birth, she was already standing and starting to suckle.  

Twycross Zoo’s Assistant Curator (Mammals), Yianna Cooling, shared: “Welcoming a new vicuña is an exciting moment for the team. Vicuña are fascinating animals, and we’re excited for visitors to see the newest member of our herd as she grows and explores her surroundings”.  

To celebrate this exciting new arrival, Twycross Zoo are launching a competition this evening, inviting children to guess the baby vicuña’s birth weight for a chance to win an exclusive Junior Keeper experience.  

This half-day experience offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the role of a zookeeper. Alongside an accompanying adult, the winner will learn about the zoo’s incredible animals, learn about their diets and behaviours, and even help with essential daily tasks like food preparation and mucking out.  

Visit Twycross Zoo’s Facebook page to join in the competition – www.facebook.com/twycrosszoo

Book your visits now at www.twycrosszoo.org and see the new baby vicuña.