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A lost mother-and-baby porcupine duo is heading back up north with wildlife rescuers, after an accidental trailer ride landed them more than a hundred miles from home.

Staff at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville took in the porcupines Wednesday night. Several residents in a North St. Paul neighborhood had called the center and reported seeing a porcupine over the last few weeks. That’s unusual for the Twin Cities — they typically prefer to live further north in heavily wooded areas.

“They had gone on a little bit of an adventure,” said WRC spokesperson Brittney Yohannes. 

Staff at the WRC called in volunteers from Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release to catch the porcupine. Neighbors had only reported seeing one, so the volunteers were surprised to find a baby, small enough to hold in one hand.

Yohannes said the mother likely crawled into a trailer in McGregor, Minn., which then drove down to the Twin Cities a few weeks ago. The baby was just days old, born after the mom’s travels.

The WRC gave the porcupines a quick check-up. Both were healthy; the baby weighed in at less than a pound. On Thursday morning, a volunteer gave them a lift back to McGregor.

Yohannes said they would’ve had a tough time finding enough food and space in St. Paul.

“She certainly coped for the last few weeks, but it's definitely important to get her back to appropriate habitat and to her territory, where she knows the lay of the land,” Yohannes said. 

The WRC takes in injured and displaced animals and re-releases them when they’re healthy – usually birds and small mammals. Spring is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s busy season. Yohannes said they’re getting lots of baby rabbits and squirrels and starting to get more migratory waterfowl who’ve collided with windows or cars.

She said the porcupines’ mishap is a good reminder to check trailers and boats before moving them for the season. Yohannes said it’s common for animals to crawl in. If you do find critters, she recommended calling the WRC to ask about resources or help getting them back home.

Estelle Timar-Wilcox

Author

A lost mother-and-baby porcupine duo is heading back up north after wildlife rescuers found them a hundred miles away from home. Rescuers say the mother accidentally hitched a ride on a trailer and gave birth in the city.

Lost mother-and-baby porcupine duo get a ride home after accidental journey

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