Porcupine
Is Thistle exploring his home for tasty treats or enjoying a cozy nap in his den? Meet Thistle on your next visit to the Forest & Wetlands habitat.
Temporarily off-habitat for habitat maintenance.
Thistle, our porcupine, was born at Woodland Park Zoo on May 15, 2015. Since he was born in human care, Thistle is well adapted to living alongside and interacting with people. He has a charismatic personality and enjoys working with his keepers during Keeper Chats.
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What about all those
quills?
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There is a common misconception that porcupines can shoot their quills at predators when threatened. In reality, porcupines do not have the ability to shoot their quills; they must come into direct contact with an object for the quills to detach from their bodies. |
When faced with danger, porcupines will first attempt to climb a tree to escape. However, if a threat approaches too closely, they can quickly turn around and swing their backside toward it, using their quills as a defense mechanism. |