Male.
Spike in cuteness: Massachusetts zoo welcomes baby porcupine
Updated: 3:35 AM EDT Jun 30, 2022
A Massachusetts zoo is seeing a spike in cuteness among its animals with a new addition.Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts, announced that a baby prehensile-tailed porcupine, called a porcupette, was born Saturday and is settling in well with its family in the "Windows to the Wild" space.The porcupette, which weighed just over a pound at birth, is the third offspring for 9-year-old mom, Prickles, and 10-year-old dad, Shadow.Pete Costello, assistant curator at Stone Zoo, said staff are weighing the porcupette every morning and that the baby is gaining weight at a healthy pace. The baby, believed to be a male, also appeared to be healthy and alert during its first medical exam on Monday.Prehensile-tailed porcupines are born with reddish-brown hair that will eventually change color and soft quills that will harden over time. They are found in the forests of South America and their tails act like a fifth limb, helping them grasp branches as they move through trees.This species of porcupette is fairly independent after birth and do not nurse often, so zoo guests may see the new baby hanging out on a perch by itself. They are nocturnal and spend much of their time resting during the day. Watch the video above for the full story.
A Massachusetts zoo is seeing a spike in cuteness among its animals with a new addition.
Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts, announced that a baby prehensile-tailed porcupine, called a porcupette, was born Saturday and is settling in well with its family in the "Windows to the Wild" space.
The porcupette, which weighed just over a pound at birth, is the third offspring for 9-year-old mom, Prickles, and 10-year-old dad, Shadow.
Pete Costello, assistant curator at Stone Zoo, said staff are weighing the porcupette every morning and that the baby is gaining weight at a healthy pace. The baby, believed to be a male, also appeared to be healthy and alert during its first medical exam on Monday.
Prehensile-tailed porcupines are born with reddish-brown hair that will eventually change color and soft quills that will harden over time. They are found in the forests of South America and their tails act like a fifth limb, helping them grasp branches as they move through trees.
This species of porcupette is fairly independent after birth and do not nurse often, so zoo guests may see the new baby hanging out on a perch by itself. They are nocturnal and spend much of their time resting during the day.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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