Tuesday, March 2, 2021

North American Porcupine

My son, Sam, and I visited Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake on Sunday, February 28. It was early in the morning, about 7:15 or 7:30 a.m. and about 30 degrees. As we drove the road on the east side of the island I spotted what I believed was a porcupine in a tree. The tree had no leaves so the porcupine really stood out, a big lump among empty branches. We got out and took a look and it was clearly a porcupine, but no sign of movement - it was battened down for the cold. 

Then Sam looked in a tree just to the north and said, there's another one. Sure enough, about 30 yards away, was another porcupine lodged in a tree. 

Then a short while later one of us spotted another porcupine in a tree further west. 

Later, as I want down an embankment and through some large reeds to get a closer look at the third porcupine, I spotted a fourth porcupine in another nearby tree. 

None of the views were great, but it was a thrill to see four altogether in one area. I've never seen more than one at a time. 

1 comment:

  1. I like your second photo the most. It looks like a punk hairdo with the tips bleached. How amazing to see FOUR!

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