A Summer as an Alpaca Carer
In Mathildedal, local residents are looking after the village’s summer alpacas on a voluntary basis.
“Each alpaca has its own feeding bowl. We put in three scoops of feed and one scoop of vitamin D. And there’s always one extra bowl available. If there’s any squabbling between the animals, there’s always a spare bowl,” explains Sini Honkala to a group of villagers gathered outside the Plattapoffi building in the centre of Mathildedal.
Nearby, on the meadow behind them, Pom Pom, Wilmer, Sukka-Jukka, Mauriz and Romeo Junior graze peacefully while keeping a curious eye on the group. The alpacas arrived in the village the previous evening.
They spend their winters in Köyliö.
“The feed is given once a day in the morning, and the water is changed at the same time. During hot weather, it’s worth checking on them again in the afternoon to make sure there’s enough water and that everything is well,” Honkala continues.
The group is taking part in an introduction to alpaca care. Throughout the summer, local volunteers will share responsibility for looking after the animals. Each volunteer has committed to taking care of the alpacas for one week.
The idea came from Perttu Salovaara.
“Alpacas are a big part of Mathildedal’s identity. For many people, having alpacas in the village is something close to their hearts. When no replacement could be found for Sini and Petri Honkala, who had previously cared for them, I thought we could gather a group of volunteers to look after the animals during the summer,” Salovaara says.
The volunteer group came together quickly. In a small village, people are used to helping one another and working together.
“A group of 15 volunteers was formed in just a few days. It’s another example of the strong sense of community we have here.”
The volunteers also have a shared WhatsApp group where responsibilities and practical arrangements have been carefully coordinated.
“Perttu has done an enormous amount of planning to make all this work,” says Annika Kiiskinen, one of the volunteers.
She wanted to join because she feels it is important to continue the tradition of summer alpacas in Mathildedal.
“At the same time, it’s a lovely way to spend time together with other villagers,” she says.
Piiu Alén highlights the importance of the alpacas for local businesses.
“Without entrepreneurs, we wouldn’t have the Mathildedal we have today. That’s one reason why local people want to help.”
The village’s businesses have also joined the effort. The hay and shelter used by the alpacas have been donated by local companies. Part of the costs will also be covered through the sale of alpaca manure.
“It’s ready-to-use garden fertiliser without any need for composting,” notes volunteer Juha Heinonen.
The alpacas accept their new carers calmly and settle down to eat contentedly.
“The most important part of your role is to get to know each alpaca well. I don’t mean simply recognising them by name. I mean knowing them well enough to understand how they normally behave. That way, you can monitor their wellbeing and notice if anything seems unusual,” Honkala emphasises.
She encourages volunteers to make a habit of checking on the animals whenever they happen to pass by.
“That’s their best health insurance.”
It was Sini Honkala who first brought alpacas to the village. With more than 30 years of experience working with animals, she first became fascinated by alpacas while living in the United States. She brought the first alpacas to Finland in 2002, initially to Jyväskylä and later to Mathildedal, where she and a business partner established an alpaca wool spinning mill.
In the early years, alpacas lived in Mathildedal all year round.
“At one point, we had as many as 69 alpacas, and in one year alone 16 crias were born,” Honkala recalls.
For Honkala, alpacas have a special ability to lift people’s spirits.
“If you wake up in a bad mood, it tends to disappear after spending some time at the alpaca enclosure.”
She encourages visitors to spend more than just a few moments watching the animals.
“Take your time and enjoy them. When you observe alpacas for a little longer, you begin to notice differences in their personalities and behaviour.”
Pom Pom, Wilmer, Sukka-Jukka, Mauriz and Romeo Junior will remain in the village until the start of the school term.
Visitors are kindly reminded not to feed the alpacas and not to enter their enclosure.
