What I Saw Today

I saw a porcupine, waddling around in the long grass, eating something.  I thought it was eating windfall apples from the apple tree nearby, but I crept up to watch it more closely and saw that it was actually picking through the grass and pulling out dandelion leaves, and eating those.  I watched it for a while, fascinated.  I got pretty close.  Porcupines are interesting -- chubby things, with these funny strange tails and waddly haunches, but neat little raccoon-like dark brown hands, and little dark eyes in a brown face.  I couldn't help saying, "You're a really cool looking little guy, aren't you?"  He'd been deliberately ignoring me but this affront was too much and he turned and waddled away from me.  As he got further from me I guess he decided I was even more dangerous, because the waddle turned into a clumsy loping slow run.  And then, the coolest part.  He got to a tree and began climbing it.  He was like a slow old man, or a robot.  He climbed stiffly, and slowly.  If I'd actually been a predator, it would have been no challenge to catch him, running or climbing.  Of course, then I'd have a paw or a snout full of spines.  I stood under the near apple tree and watched him climb the far apple tree in wonder.  Did you know porcupines could climb trees?  I didn't. 

Comments

Neat. I've only seen a porcupine in the "wild" once (actually, it was in the middle of the road, and I almost hit him - and he was a real big one).

[turboglacier]

It's just as I've always said: You don't have to be fast if you're prickly.

[Jill]

Wow. I had no idea porcupines could climb trees. I loved reading about this.