When Melanie Munson lived in Insbrook, Austria, she would visit the alpaca herd that lived in this alpine ski village. She dreamed one day of having her own when she returned to the United States.
Fifteen years later, her dream has come true. Today, Melanie has six alpacas—three mothers, all of whom are pregnant, and two girls and a boy. The alpacas have wonderful names. The mothers are Moonbeam (black/brown), Dinali (reddish brown) and Carmolita (brown with fuzzy hair-do). The girls’ names are Cirrus (grey and white) and Lexi Sunrise (reddish brown). The boy is called Cornelius (white). Moonbeam is due to give birth in May.
By day, Melanie works selling fitness equipment in Northern Virginia. She spends all her spare time in the paddock with her alpacas on a small farmette near Shepherdstown.
 “They changed my life.completely” she said “They are so peaceful. They are magical. They really ground me. I love to come out to the paddock and hang out with them.”
The alpacas are inquisitive and friendly. They nudge each other and wrap their heads around each others’ necks. They love to roll around in the dirt and scratch themselves against the brick walls of Melanie’s house. The herd talks to each other. It sounds like a humming. It is a soft, sweet, comforting sound, like that of a cat’s purr.
Alpacas are rare in the United States; there are only 60,000 in the entire country. The animals are bred for the fine wool and for additional breeding.
Melanie purchased the alpacas from Virginia Alpaca near Leesburg, Va. She hopes to breed the animals herself. When the heard grows to 25 or 30, she intends to sell the alpacas, although a few of her favorites may never be sold. “I never married. I never had children. I have grown really fond of them, especially the babies. It would be very hard to let go of them. I’m not sure I ever will."