A cafe in northern Serbia has unusual hosts: six alpacas.
The South American animals, of various sizes and colours, roam among the tables at the Tiganjica Ethno-Village resort near Stajicevo, north of Belgrade, happy to interact with the guests.
The Alpaca Cafe here opened only a week ago and is a rare sight in Europe. Tiganjica resort owner Zoran Ostojin said he got the idea in Slovakia.
"My wife and I were in an Alpaca cafe in Slovakia and we were fascinated," Ostojin told The Associated Press. "We wanted people in our country to get to know alpacas and feel this animal and its energy."
Calm and friendly, alpacas are known for their mild character and easy disposition. While related to llamas and camels, alpacas are smaller, loved for their soft fleece and gentle humming sounds they produce to communicate.
The alpacas in Tiganjica mingle with the visitors who often come in organised tours to see the animals and spend time in their company.
Written on a board are house rules. Visitors are asked not to approach the alpacas from behind or feed them any food they brought along. Guests are instead given small buckets with carrots, lettuce and apples.
Visits must be prearranged and the cost is around 10 euros (NZ$20.10), which includes a drink and a bucket with alpaca food.
All six animals differ in character, according to the alpacas' carer Simona Frangi, who said a black alpaca called Ljubica is grumpy, while Snezana is the herd leader despite being the smallest of all.
"They are very sensitive to people's intentions," Frangi explained. "They feel if someone wants to harm them, they move away. But if someone wants to offer something, they will come close."
Ostojin runs a small zoo within his resort, which also includes a restaurant and a garden on the family estate. Ostojin said it all started because he and his brother were bringing over injured animals to care for since they were boys.
The first alpaca came as a present from the Belgrade Zoo eight years ago. Ostojin said he "very much liked the energy, the emotion that this animal sends out".
"Almost like a healing ability," he said.
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