"MISSHAP"

Porcupine (North American) - 9 Photos

No - this isn't a spelling error, except there should be a space between the last "s" and the "h". It should read Miss Hap P, the name of one of our two young porcupines. 

Firstly, the reason it's Miss Hap P is revealed in Photo #3.

Secondly, porcupines only breed once a year and that period is between 8 to 12 hours so to have a "mishap" or a "Miss Hap" is simply amazing! (I wonder if porcupines meet on "Tinder"????)

All facts aside, this porcupine, I think, is extremely sweet and trust me, she has learnt its lessons well from her mother. Her climbing skills (descending - Photo #4) and ascending (Photo #6) are superb and you may think a porcupine is slow on the ground until you try and capture one on camera. Once a porcupine has "hit ground zero", it moves within the tall dry grass and shrubbery and all you can see is the grass moving, its quills blending in completely. Then if you are fortunate to have gauged correctly which direction it is going, once the porcupine reaches an open area, it quickly heads for the nearest tree (or in this case a favorite tree).

This porcupine moved from one tree to another to look for better cover out of the rain shower we were currently experiencing. Yes - she did have sense to come out of the rain! :)

PHOTO #1 - "THE BALANCING ACT"

Porcupine - North American"A LITTLE MISSHAP"

PHOTO #2 - "BACK DOWN ON ALL FOURS"

Porcupine - North American"BRANCHING OUT"

PHOTO #3 - "YES, IT'S A GIRL!"

Porcupine - North American"IT'S A GIRL!"

PHOTO #4 - "DESCENDING"

Porcupine - North American"IN FULL DESCENT- HURRY, HURRY!"

PHOTO #5 - "COVERING THE GROUND"

Porcupine - North American"ONE OF THOSE GROUND SHOTS YOU DREAM OF"

PHOTO #6 - "THE ASCENT"

Porcupine - North American"ALMOST TO THE TOP"

PHOTO #7 - "NAP TIME"

Porcupine - North American"NAP TIME"

PHOTO #8 - "THE BEST FEELING WHEN YOU REACH THAT ANNOYING ITCH"

Porcupine - North American"IT FEELS SO GOOD WHEN YOU FIND THAT ITCHY SPOT!"

PHOTO #9 - "YUM, YUM, YUM!"

Porcupine - North American"NUM, NUM, NUM!"