Worries are mounting over the disappearance of a baby alpaca named Banff from his home in North Somerset. Banff, just ten months old, was one of four alpacas grazing in a paddock near the residence of his owner, Tam Harrisson, who manages Chapel Ground Alpacas in the scenic Goblin Combe near the village of Cleeve.
Banff was last seen nearly a week ago, on the evening of Sunday, May 10. Despite thorough searches of the surrounding woods and fields, no trace of the friendly black alpaca has been found. This has led Tam to fear the worst—that Banff may have been stolen.
Since his disappearance, friends, neighbors, and animal enthusiasts throughout the area have been combing the steep-sided combe, responding to appeals on social media, but still no sign of Banff has emerged. The alpaca was seen with his three companions at around 9 pm on Sunday but was missing by Monday morning’s feeding time. The paddock gates remained securely shut, and there was no evidence of Banff nearby.
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Tam expressed that if Banff had simply escaped, he would likely have stayed close by or sought out his herd mates. Being a young alpaca, Banff is about the size of a large dog and can be carried easily, which raises concerns about potential theft. Tam fears that if someone took Banff without knowing how to care for him, his health and well-being could be in serious jeopardy, especially since he is due for shearing and requires medication during the winter.
The search parties have even brought Banff’s fellow alpacas and feed buckets into the woods, hoping his familiarity with these sounds and scents might lure him out. Despite these efforts, Banff remains missing, and Tam is urging anyone in the Cleeve or North Somerset area to report any sightings or unusual appearances of alpacas.
“This is very unusual behavior for an alpaca to wander so far from home,” Tam explained, emphasizing the herd’s natural instinct to stay together. “If Banff is out there, he would likely be timid but approachable to someone friendly.”
The Chapel Ground team, well-known within the local and alpaca communities, continues to hope for Banff’s safe return. Tam conveyed a heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in the search and appeals for any information that might help bring Banff home.