Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine

There are two new arrivals at Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House! Lincoln Park Zoo is excited to welcome 13-year-old prehensile-tailed porcupine Pierre and 12-year-old Flora. The pair arrived from Roger Williams Park Zoo as recommended by the Prehensile-tailed Porcupine Species Survival Plan® (SSP).

Both Pierre and Flora are doing well and have engaged in positive reinforcement training sessions with Animal Care staff. They enjoy eating all kinds of local browse. Browse, fresh leaves and plant parts, are offered to Pierre and Flora to as an active animal care measure to wear down their teeth, which continuously grow throughout their lifetime.

Prehensile-tailed porcupines have short, thick quills, and their body color ranges from yellowish to almost black. An arboreal species, these rodents are excellent climbers and spend the majority of their time in trees.