Peek-a-Boo, Little Porcupette!

Switzerland’s Zoo Basel welcomed a male porcupette
(baby Porcupine) on April 6. Porcupettes
are born with soft, flexible spines, which harden after a few days. The new baby lives with seven other
Porcupines in the zoo’s exhibit.

Photo Credit: Zoo Basel

Zoo Basel’s Porcupines are clicker-trained,
which allows zoo keepers to better monitor the health and well-being of these
nocturnal animals, who would rather hide than interact with keepers. The Porcupines have learned that a click
means they’ll receive a tasty bite of food, so they eagerly emerge from their
hiding places.

Porcupines are forest-dwelling rodents that
feed on tubers, bark, roots and vegetables.

See more photos of Zoo Basel's porcupette below the fold.