Photo: Courtesy ZSL London Zoo
Porcupette Hershey was born for the spotlight!
As spectators gathered to watch the event, zoo staffers were there to encourage excitement and answer questions.
“We answered a lot of not-so-subtle questions about porcupine quills — they’re soft at birth before quickly hardening, so Hettie’s labor was not as painful as some watching mothers were imagining,” Heldt said.
The London Zoo sent out photos of its new porcupette in a recent release, where Hedlt explained the meaning behind Hershey’s name.
“We’ve named the little one Hershey; all the porcupines in the family have names starting with the letter ‘H’ — Hershey joins Hettie, Henning, and seven-month-old sibling Herbie,” she said.
Courtesy ZSL London Zoo
Heldt also shared that the newborn is receiving plenty of love from the family.
Cape porcupines are native to central and southern Africa and are the largest porcupine species, weighing up to 33 lbs when fully grown, compared to a tiny 12 ounces at birth.
Litters are usually born between August and March, and gestation takes approximately three months, per theNew England Zoo. Female porcupines can give birth once or twice a year, and their litter can range from one to four, the average being two.
The species is primarily a plant-eater, mainly feeding on roots, bulbs, tubers, and bark. Occasionally, the animals will gnaw on old carcasses and bones to get calcium and to wear down their teeth.
Cape porcupines are solitary or found in small family groups. Like Hershey’s parents, male and female porcupines raise their young together as a monogamous pair.
source: people.com
