CUTE!
Baby porcupine debuts
at Prospect Park Zoo
BY BEN VERDE
A North American porcupine
born during the winter
is making its debut at the
Prospect Park Zoo.
Barb, born in February to
parents Needles and Spike, is
strutting her stuff in her new
habitat along the zoo’s discovery
trail. She is the fi rst offspring
of the prickly pair.
As a newborn, Barb’s characteristic
quills are very soft,
but they will soon harden
as she ages into an effective
predator-repellent. Some
porcupines have as many as
30,000 quills with tiny barbs
on each tip that can pull off
from the porcupine and become
lodged into a predator
when they come in contact
with the spiky critter.
Mayor • Public Advocate • Comptroller • Borough President • City Council
COURIER L 22 IFE, JUNE 11-17, 2021
“Spike and Needles are
the fi rst porcupines exhibited
at Prospect Park Zoo in
nearly ten years,” said Prospect
Park Zoo Director Denise
McClean. “The successful
breeding is not only a
testament to their comfort
with their habitat and care,
the arrival of Barb ensures
that we can continue to showcase
this fascinating species
well into the future.”
North American Porcupines’
range extends across
most of the continent.
Prospect Park Zoo (940
Flatbush Avenue in Prospect
Park), 10 am — 5 pm Mon-Fri,
10 am — 5:30 Sat, Sun. www.
prospectparkzoo.com, 718 399-
7339
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