Oldest Alpaca Living

Alpacas usually live 15 to 20 years, so Wainui is a very, very, very old man

I'm Vicky Kaurie and this is Hawthorne in Wainui. The personality of my lovely Wainui is now a bit of a grumpy old man

In his younger days, he would be the herd lookout, sitting on a high vantage point, watching the world go by

Wainui lives down under at the Wainui Mata coast on the lower north island of New Zealand

Wainui has lived with us since 2002. By chance, my sister saw an auction for alpaca

and in a matter of a few minutes, our love of alpacas started by buying five alpaca at the auction

Hawthorndon is the name of the alpaca farm that he was born into in Victoria, Australia

on 2nd of January, 1998. At a young age, Wainui came to New Zealand with his mother, Maddy

and lived in Wainui Bay. In his old age, unfortunately his exercise is limited to the two small paddocks outside

His eyesight isn't so good so he finds his way by his familiar roots that he's made

Wainui is a very calm alpaca, he's always got on really well with all the other alpaca in our herd

Now though he lives in the daytime in his own paddock But Barney the goat watching over him and Squeak the sheep Now at his old age he gets to eat as much as he likes when he likes In the morning he eat as much of his breakfast as he wants then he go for a

wander outside and come back and eat some more during the day. If his dinner's a bit late he'll

be standing here waiting for it. I believe the secret to his longevity is the comfort in which

he lives. He has access to the shelter all day and the first little bit of rain and often that's

Quite a lot in New Zealand, and especially in winter, he'll be inside and sitting it out until it's dry again

He also enjoys having his coats put on, and he will have a coat on all day and all night during winter

On the 6th of July 2025, Guinness World Records recognised Wainui as being the oldest alpaca living in captivity

He was 27 years and 185 days. it's amazing for us to have animal holding a guinness world records title he's one very special

alpaca he has his own fan club friends family and colleagues he even has his own flag gifted by a local artist