Louie the Cape porcupine. Photo: National Zoo and Aquarium.
The zookeepers at Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium have a new task to complete each day – picking up porcupine quills.
‘Louie’ has joined the extended family at the zoo as its first Cape porcupine.
“They are a nocturnal species of porcupine, and you probably know them best for their beautiful big quills,” zookeeper Jemma Walsh says.
“They do have quite a lot and do drop them every day, so you may see keepers in the yard finding porcupine quills all the time.”
The Cape porcupine (hystrix africaeaustralis) is native to central and southern Africa, considered the largest rodents in Africa and are also the world’s largest porcupines.
They typically measure between 60 and 80 centimetres long – not including the tail – and weigh between 10 and 24 kilograms. Their diet consists of mostly plant material such as fruit and roots.
As for those dangerous looking quills, they’re not for show. When attacked, a Cape porcupine freezes, but if cornered, it can quickly turn vicious and charge to stab its attacker.
Louie started life in the Monarto Safari Park in Adelaide, and arrived at the National Zoo about three weeks ago, aged about two-and-a-half.
Not only will zoo visitors be able to see her (between the wallabies and the emus), guests of the Jamala Wildlife Lodge will too, because the enclosure backs onto the same ‘Jungle Bungalow’ (number three) as the cheetahs.
“She does back onto one of our bungalows here and gets to share a bungalow with the cheetahs on the other side as well, so our Jamala guests will hopefully get to see Louie out and about,” Ms Walsh says.
“She’s most active first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon, so for our members particularly we would definitely recommend making use of our early access hours.”
For now, Louie is on her own – but the zoo hopes to change that soon.
“We are hopefully, fingers crossed, going to be getting Louie a beautiful friend, a nice male, that will hopefully join us later in the year.”
The National Zoo and Aquarium is open from 9:30 am to 5 pm daily (except Christmas Day).
