The Inca Alpaca Farm is at Higher Chilfrome near Maiden Newton. Tim and Tracey Hey are the owners and they started the farm in 2006. They breed the Elite Black Alpacas which are reared for their fleece and also as a pedigree blood stock for their stud.

My project was tackled over a number of months and Tim was happy for me to turn up when I was free to document the work that goes into rearing these adorable and humourous animals. Related to the vicuña, llama and guanaco, the alpaca is a rare and precious animal thought to have been crossed between llamas and vicuñas some 6000 years ago. Treasured by the ancient Inca civilisation, their fine fleeces were reserved for Incan royalty.