Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Baby Porcupine
Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed, the animal care team is continuing to provide top-notch care to thousands of animals, including the newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a baby prehensile-tailed porcupine.
The baby, known as a porcupette, was born to mom, Peri, on Feb. 25. If you’ve seen the One Day at Disney documentary on Disney+, you may remember seeing Peri participate in an ultrasound with Disney veterinarian Dr. Natalie. And after a long-awaited arrival, the team is delighted to welcome this cutie to the Disney family. Here’s a closer look:
Cast members like Walt Disney World Veterinarian Dr. Natalie provide continual care for Peri – from annual exams, to pregnancy check-ups, the birth of her porcupette, and of course, post-partum care.
Porcupettes are covered in a fine red fur coat, but they’re also born with their tiny quills underneath, which begin to harden hours after birth. Those quills are actually what helped the team determine the baby’s gender. And guess what? It’s a girl!
Coming to this conclusion required science and more than just a neonatal exam from the veterinary team. Prehensile-tailed porcupines have internal sex organs, so to determine the baby’s gender, the team actually had to send some of her tiny quills off to a lab for DNA testing.
As with all of the animals, there are plenty of big hearts caring for this little mother-daughter duo. Peri continues to thrive in her role as a mother, which is part of why she was chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals.
With so many families at home together right now, we look forward to sharing more stories and insights about our animals and amazing cast who are caring for them.
Thinking about a Disney getaway? There are fantastic 2020 bargains to be had and 2021 packages will be available in just a few short months! Fill out our form below to get your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels.
Are you ready to start planning your magical Disney vacation? Contact me today at MickeyTravels for your FREE, no obligation quote for a Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line or Adventures By Disney vacation! My magical planning services are included at no extra cost. You can find me on Facebook or via email at Best of all my services are absolutely FREE! Get in touch at 843-288-1130, via email at whitney@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Source: Disney