BSF recovers Alpaca along Indo-B'desh border

"Troops of the 32 Bn BSF, posted at the Banpur Border Outpost, spotted some movement beyond the boundary fence. On getting close, they saw three Bangladeshi smugglers using a bamboo ladder to send an animal into India," said N K Pandey, DIG and Spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier.

He added that four Indian smugglers were waiting to catch the animal as it toppled over the fence.

"The jawans issued a warning and then fired a shot. The Bangladeshis fled back across the zero line (150 yards beyond the fence) while the Indian miscreants took cover in a mango orchard," the Spokesperson said.

He added that the BSF personnel took the animal to the Banpur BOP, where it was identified as an Alpacas.

The Spokesperson said the Alpaca was handed over to the Forest Department for proper rehabilitation and care.

"The swift and decisive actions of our vigilant troops are a testament to BSF's unwavering commitment to safeguarding our borders and protecting wildlife. The BSF remains a formidable deterrent to all illegal activities along the frontier, and we will continue to remain ever watchful," Pandey said.

Alpacas are gentle animals, much like sheep, and are bred and reared in countries like Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile in South America. Their wool is soft and of very high quality and blankets made of it are in high demand across the world, among those who can afford to pay.

An Alpaca produced about two kg of wool (after processing) every year, just enough for a single blanket. With their long necks, they are sometimes mistaken for their more aggressive cousins - the Llamas - that are used as pack animals in the Andes.

Of late, Alpacas have been a major attraction for exotic pet collectors across the world, including India. There are several illegal private zoos where these animals are kept, sometimes in hot and humid climates that they are not used to.