They may look a bit prickly, but Maymont’s newest animal residents are real extroverts. Two female porcupettes — the official name for baby porcupines — have spent the last few weeks exploring and settling into their specially designed nursery room. They will make their public debut on Friday, July 25, when visitors to The Robins Nature Center can watch them play, eat and nap through the large nursery room windows.
The two young porcupines were born in Michigan in May and needed a new home once they were weaned because they aren’t equipped to survive on their own in the wild. The pair will move into an outdoor habitat built just for them along the Virginia Wildlife Trail, which is undergoing renovation this year as part of the Maymont 2025 initiative and will reopen in 2026.
One porcupette is named Sandy, through a gift from a generous Maymont donor, but the other one needs a name. Maymont invites the public to help suggest names by making a donation to support animal care and the Maymont 2025 initiative between now and August 17. Four names will be put to a community vote between August 22-28, with the winning name to be revealed at The Robins Nature Center on September 6, and then on social media and Maymont.org…