6 llamas mysteriously killed in a grisly attack

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Owners of a Kentucky llama farm are shocked after six of their animals died Monday in a gruesome attack.

Caroline Willette, one of the owners of Louisville Llama Farm, said she woke up around 7:30 a.m. to see blood and tufts of wool spread around the barn and her property. The farm is located behind the Louisville Zoo.

Five of the llamas were found dead with bite marks behind their ears and by their flanks. Another llama was badly injured and needed to be put down, Willette said.

A fence near the front of the farm's property was smashed and covered in blood when one of the llamas "tried to run away," she said.

"I know they are just livestock," Willette said. "But these were my babies."

She had names for them, like Boo who was born on Halloween, or No White, a pun on Snow White. Both were mauled by an unknown animal.

A spokeswoman with Louisville Metro Animal Services said the agency is investigating and going door to door to see whether neighbors heard or saw anything. "At this point, we can only say the llamas were attacked by a large animal," she said.

A spokesperson for the nearby Louisville Zoo said it was unfamiliar with the situation.

At least two other llamas were injured, Willette said. She estimated that at least $10,000 in damage had been done with their deaths.

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Willette, who has owned the farm for the last 18 and a half years with her husband, Dale Hill, said she has never seen anything like Monday's attack.

While many neighbors were quick to speculate that coyotes were responsible, Willette, however, is skeptical. She said llamas are good at defending themselves. One of the llamas that was killed weighed 500 pounds.

"I see coyotes around here all the time," Willette said. "Llamas are guard animals, (they'll) mess you up."

Willette said she does not have any surveillance footage or cameras on the property.

Louisville Llama Farm sells the wool of the animals and also grows other crops such as grapes and pawpaws, large fruit native to the Unites States.

The farm was in the news in 2009 when two of the animals escaped and were promptly returned back to the farm by police.

Follow Thomas Novelly on Twitter: @TomNovelly

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WARNING: GRAPHIC GALLERY BELOW

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 6 llamas mysteriously killed in a grisly attack