Pictured here during its first health check, this youngster is one of two porcupines born at the Zoo in 2018, the first of their species to be bred in the Zoo’s history.

Their birth is a prickly love story. Mum, Noko came from England to be paired with Nzuri a male who arrived at the Zoo on Valentine’s Day from South Australia. Cupid’s arrow hit the mark and less than four months later, the spiky new arrivals made their appearance completing Perth Zoo’s porcupine family.

Baby porcupines are known as porcupettes and have been delighting keen eyed visitors as they run after their parents. Mum, Noko is known to stamp her foot when something isn't to her liking and the infants have already be seen displaying the same behaviour!

And for those wondering, yes they are born with those spikes, however to make it easier on the mum, they are soft quills during birth but harden and become very sharp a few hours afterwards.