Baby Porcupine Born At San Diego Zoo

SAN DIEGO, CA — The San Diego Zoo has welcomed a prehensile-tailed porcupine, zoo officials announced Tuesday.

The female baby porcupine, also known as a porcupette, was born June 22 to mom Gracie and dad Picante. The baby girl, who has not yet been named, was born with reddish-orange fur, a trait unique to the animals that sheds as they mature.

The young porcupine is expected to occasionally appear with her mother during educational presentations at Wildlife Explorers Basecamp and Animals in Action as part of the zoo's wildlife ambassador program.

Prehensile-tailed porcupines, also known as Brazilian porcupines, are native to the tropical forests of South America. The arboreal animals spend most of their lives in trees, using their prehensile tails to grip branches.