BROOKFIELD, Ill. — A baby porcupine is the first of its species to be born at Brookfield Zoo.
The zoo in Chicago’s western suburbs says the male baby porcupine, known as a porcupette, was born July 2. He weighed almost 1 pound (0.45 kilograms), and had soft quills that hardened after a few days.
The yet-to-be-named baby’s parents are Lucia and Eddie.
Zoo officials say they monitored Lucia and her baby for a while before determining she wasn’t allowing him to nurse. Veterinary and animal care workers are now bottle-feeding the young porcupine, and they say he’s thriving.
The new prehensile-tailed porcupine, with a small, hook-like tail, will join his parents in the Hamill Family Play Zoo at approximately 10 weeks of age.
