Amarillo Zoo welcomes 3-legged porcupine

Quill “Porky” Smith, the 3-legged porcupine (Photo courtesy of Amarillo Zoo).

The Amarillo Zoo has welcomed Quill “Porky” Smith—a 4-to-5-year-old North American porcupine—who has 3 legs. Quill overcame this potentially fatal injury when he was shot in the wild due to unknown circumstances resulting in losing his left front leg.

“Quill is doing great. He is an amazing animal,” said Berkeley Hilliard, Amarillo Zoo curator, in an organizational release. “He has made himself at home really fast. He enjoys hugging our keepers. He will actually stand up on his hind legs and grab onto our legs and hug us. We love him, and he has fast become a fan favorite here at the zoo.”

Quill arrived at the zoo on January 31, 2022, and acquired a reputation for his endearing and amiable personality.

Quill’s excellent recovery could not have been done without the immense efforts of staff at the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. However, his injury inhibited him from being released back to the wild.

“Porcupines use climbing as a defense mechanism,” Hilliard said. “Quill can still climb a little bit, but he cannot climb to his full potential, which makes him more vulnerable to predators.”

Quill is extraordinarily mobile, considering his injury, and his current habitat is in a temporary enclosure while Amarillo Zoo staff prepare his permanent home.

Reference

Amarillo Zoo welcomes Quill Smith. News release. City of Amarillo. February 11, 2022. Accessed February 23, 2022. https://www.amarillo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2163