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Porcupine rescued from a storm drain.

Thirty-thousand quills have given the North American porcupine a bit of a prickly reputation, but this slow-moving rodent is generally a gentle herbivore, and it also plays an important role in forest ecosystems. Unlike its well-known cousin, the African crested porcupine, the North American porcupine is primarily arboreal, meaning it spends most of its time in trees. The bristles of its tail, long claws, and the pebbled texture of its footpads, all help the North American po

One of our current patients is a North-American porcupine who came to us in the spring. Although now living a happy and healthy life with us while awaiting his upcoming release, his life did not start out untroubled. We received this little guy as an orphaned baby, at the beginning of May, after his mother had been hit and killed by a vehicle. He was admitted with a broken arm and had to undergo a procedure to set the bone. Baby porcupines, known as porcupettes, require a hug

August is PORCUPINE MONTH here at Calgary Wildlife, and we can't wait to tell you all about our spikey friend the porcupine.

About the patient: This is one of our previous long-term patients, the North American Porcupine! He was patient number 555 in 2021 and was admitted to our clinic on May 22nd, 2021. This little porcupine was suspected to have been born prematurely and was abandoned by its mother after several attempts to reunite them over a 72 hour period. Without his mother’s care he wouldn’t survive on his own, so he was brought to Calgary Wildlife for around the clock care for four months.