During the entire month of November, the Minnesota Zoo​ will be sharing stories of the many rescued and rehabilitated animals that we care for. All of our animals receive amazing care from zoo staff, volunteers and community members. All of this work is made possible because of YOUR amazing support – thank you! Check back daily as we feature a new story from around the Zoo.

A North American porcupine from northern Minnesota is now a Zoo ambassador for her species with the Zoo’s Zoomobile program!

The porcupine kit, abandoned after her mom was hit by a car on the North Shore, first went into a private rehabilitation setting for care. Her caregiver connected with the Zoo, and the rest is history. Appropriately nicknamed “Quill,” she loves to eat carrots, apples, and tree bark (especially aspen).  She even allows her keepers to trim her claws so that they don’t get too long!

Did you know? Within minutes of being born, young porcupines are “armed” – their quills harden and they’re able to lash out with their tails. While porcupines cannot actually “throw” their quills, they can release these barbed hairs once they’re stuck into an attacker’s skin. Porcupines can even get stuck by their own quills when falling out of trees. Most of the time they are able to remove them with their teeth and front paws. An antibiotic is present in the quill, which prevents infections from occurring.