A prickly situation in Spanaway has a happy outcome. An exotic porcupine found wandering Washington streets is now safe at the Oregon Zoo.
The huge African crested porcupine was spotted around Spanaway last spring. Nickole Waite saw the animal in her yard and said it was the size of her 60-pound dog.
"He's up to my knees, that's how big the porcupine was with his quills," said Waite.
The animal was likely bred as an exotic pet and either released or escaped.
Wildlife rehab director Jasmine Fletcher-Glaze said, "Somebody probably purchased him. They're little cute babies, and then they grow up. They're the world's largest porcupine. They can get to be 60 pounds and not easy to keep as a domestic pet."
After several sightings around Spanaway, the porcupine was safely trapped by wildlife group A Soft Place to Land and transported to the Oregon Zoo for a check-up.
Becca Van Beek oversees the zoo's Africa exhibit. "She had a hard life fending for herself outside. It’s scary to think what could have happened to her."
The porcupine's adventure doesn't end there. Her permanent home will be at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, which just opened a new African Savanna exhibit this year.
