Fulmer alpaca attack shock

While the three alpacas – named Del, Rodney and Albert – are lucky to be alive after their nightly encounter, one of them is still at risk of dying.

Mark Cleary, the owner of Small Acres Farm in Fulmer, Slough, said: “One of the staff had gone to the farm this morning, and they found the three alpacas quite severely wounded.

“One of their stomach has been ripped open, and the others have their legs and backs bleeding, whether it’s a dangerous dog, or something else.

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“The vet’s operated now, one of them [Albert] had to be castrated because it had had its testicles ripped off." 

The vet was shocked that Albert was still alive, Mr Cleary said.

He explained: “He was surprised he hadn’t bled out.

“But Albert was very weak, and it’s still touch and go whether he will survive.”

The attacker was either an extremely large dog or a wild lynx, the vet told Mr Cleary.

Because of the bite marks, the vet ruled out a human attacker.

Next days will tell if Albert the alpaca survives, the owner Mark Cleary said.

The farmer, who had reported the attack to the police, said: “Del boy had really big wounds where he had been bitten.

“He said it was way too big for a fox, the fangs were too wide apart and too big.

“And when it had ripped the testicles out it had eaten them, as they were not in the paddock.”

“I’m going to stay with them tonight just in case whatever it was comes back.

“The vet said they won’t survive a second attack.”

The trio were dozy from injections, and Albert – out of anaesthesia following the surgery – was in a pen in the stable, which Mr Cleary was going to cover with mesh “just in case it came back it can’t jump in and have a second go.”

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Mr Cleary said: “They get very anxious, and in fact, if alpacas get separated from each other, they can die of the stress.”

“I was devastated, they’re young alpacas, it’s very upsetting for the whole family.

“I’ve just started running it as a smallholding farm over the last couple of years.” 

There is no police investigation and the incident wasn't recorded as a crime, as a vet has advised it was damaged caused by a wild animal, Thames Valley Police said. 

RSPCA couldn't comment until they have received a report from a vet.