Fuzzy Baby Makes National Zoo Debut
New Porcupine Born In D.C.
UPDATED: 1:43 pm CDT April 26, 2005
WASHINGTON -- There's a new critter crawling around the National Zoo.
A prehensile-tailed porcupine was born at the zoo on April 11.The next day, zookeepers examined the baby, which weighed less than a pound. Veterinarians are not sure of the baby's gender.Over the next few months, the porcupine, Coendou prehensilis, will lose its red hair, which will be replaced by tough spines.Both the baby and its parents are on display at the zoo's Small Mammal House.The porcupines are native to South America. As their name suggests, they use their tails like a fifth limb to grab and hold branches.
Slideshow: A prehensile-tailed porcupine was born at the zoo on April 11.The next day, zookeepers examined the baby, which weighed less than a pound. Veterinarians are not sure of the baby's gender.Over the next few months, the porcupine, Coendou prehensilis, will lose its red hair, which will be replaced by tough spines.Both the baby and its parents are on display at the zoo's Small Mammal House.The porcupines are native to South America. As their name suggests, they use their tails like a fifth limb to grab and hold branches.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
