alpacas

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Agustin Mayta Condori shows a sick alpaca, which he predicted would die the next day because of subfreezing temperatures in the southern Andes in Peru. Thousands of alpacas have died in the region. Rodrigo Abd/AP hide caption

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Rodrigo Abd/AP

The Two-Way

Tens Of Thousands Of Alpacas Die In Peruvian Cold Snap

July 21, 2016 • Peru's government has declared a state of emergency in the southern Andes, where brutally cold temperatures have killed the animals and threatened farmers living at high altitude.

This Must Be A First: Alpacas Blessed In Nation's Capital

Peru's alpacas are blessed once a year, during rainy season. The blessing declares: "Let there be a great abundance of alpacas, so that the alpacas should be like the condor and appear to fly from one mountain to another." Courtesy of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco hide caption

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Courtesy of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco

Goats and Soda

This Must Be A First: Alpacas Blessed In Nation's Capital

July 8, 2015 • Peru brought its tradition of praying for alpacas to the U.S. And there's good reason to wish the animals well. Their fiber — softer and warmer than wool — provides a livelihood for many Peruvians.