Skip to main content

National Zoo announces porcupine birth

By Sarah Beth Hensley

WASHINGTON – The National Zoo may be shy a panda after the departure of Bao Bao earlier this week, but now it’s up one porcupine.

[related_gallery align=”right”]The zoo announced Friday the birth of a prehensile-tailed porcupine. The baby porcupine was born some time overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, the zoo said.

The porcupette – as infant porcupines are adorably called – is the third offspring born to the zoo’s adult prehensile-tailed porcupines, Bess and Clark.

Keepers hope to be able to determine the sex of the porcupette over the next week or so, the zoo said in a news release.

The porcupines live in the Small Mammal House exhibit at the zoo.

What should be in your emergency kit

By WTOP Staff
Every home should have an emergency kit on hand for when storms and power outages occur. WTOP recommends you print it out this list ahead foul weather and power outages. Supplies to have on hand:
Read Next Story