Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, has welcomed a special new arrival.
On August 17, a prehensile-tailed porcupine baby was born at the zoo.
It is the first birth of its kind in the zoo’s 121-year history.
The baby, called a porcupette, was born to parents Nigel and Quillow. It has not yet been named.
A Healthy Start
Soon after birth, the porcupette received its first health exam.
Veterinarians checked its heart, lungs, eyes, and mouth. They also recorded its weight.
The team collected several quills for DNA testing.
This will help determine whether the baby is male or female.
You can read more about the birth on the zoo’s official website.
Built for Life in the Trees
Prehensile-tailed porcupines are native to tropical forests in Central and South America.
They spend much of their lives high in the trees.
Their strong tails help them balance and climb. Their feet also give them a firm grip on branches.
Their sharp quills protect them from predators.
They also have soft noses and long whiskers that help them move through their surroundings.
Helping the Forest
These porcupines mainly eat leaves, flowers, shoots, and tree bark.
As they feed, they naturally thin parts of the forest canopy.
This allows more sunlight to reach plants and animals on the forest floor.
Growing Up Behind the Scenes
The baby will continue to receive regular health checks as it grows.
Adult prehensile-tailed porcupines usually weigh between four and 11 pounds.
Young porcupines are born with reddish-orange hair that helps hide their soft quills.
As they grow, that hair disappears and their black-and-white quills become more visible.
For now, the porcupette will stay behind the scenes with first-time parents Nigel and Quillow at the zoo’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater.