The latest video from the Voyageurs Wolf Project shows the array of wildlife that visited a small creek in Voyageurs National Park over the course of a few weeks in May. Critters passing though include a bear, wolf, fisher, marten, owl, porcupine and more.
Spike is an orphaned, hand-reared porcupine who, due to his close relationship to humans, was deemed unreleasable. Lake Superior Zoo gave him a forever home. Jessica Shold, Spike’s keeper at the zoo, says he has exhibited this “dancing” behavior his entire life — the result of being raised by humans instead of porcupines.
“We have a daily enrichment and natural feeding program in place as well as positive reinforcement training to ensure he has the best possible welfare and is content for his entire life,” Shold says.
Music: ZZ Top vs. Pink.
This video was shot by Mark “Sparky” Stensaas on May 3 for his blog, the Photonaturalist. Local porcupines have moved out of places like the West Duluth Porcupine Hotel and are giving up their diet of tree bark in favor of the more scrumptious catkins of Pussy Willows. Sparky’s specific post on this is called “Porcupine Spring Snack.”
On Wednesday I saw this porcupine high at the top of a tree on Raleigh Street, feasting away on bark. Then on Thursday there were two of them (one up high, one down low).
