This tiny Porcupette came to Procyon Wildlife from ThunderBird Wildlife Rescue in Thunder Bay to be raised together with another tiny orphan we had locally. All grown up and ready to return to his own territory – he made a short journey by plane instead of an overly long drive. We would like to extend our huge thanks to The Canadian Wings of Rescue – when rescues come together it can make magic happen!
Here is a report from our friends at ThunderBird Wildlife Rescue on the release of this porcupine, now all grown up.
PORCUPINE RELEASE!!!
What! You say. Porcupines aren’t BIRDS OF PREY. No. No they are not. But they deserve help too sometimes. And I will ALWAYS do what I can within my means, to get ALL the wild critters the help they need.
A QUICK RECAP
Back in late April, I got a call about a baby porcupine that had been found at our local tree farm. They had discovered him a couple days prior lurking around one of the outbuildings. They were initially concerned but thought he had wandered back to where ever he came from or his mother had found him and they had moved off. Much to their dismay, 3 days later they found him again huddled in a corner, miserable and cold. They contacted me, hoping I could help.
Now we all know I don’t have my permit for porcupines… yet. But like everyone else, I have the right, and the means, to find them the proper wildlife custodians who can take them in. So I went and got our prickly little friend, who was very dehydrated, cold and much too young to be on his own yet.
First I contacted Ontario Wildlife Rescue to ask who is the leading expert on Porcupines in our province. I then contacted Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation Services to see if they could take in our wee little orphan. And literally as we were talking, Procyon got a call about another orphan porcupette that was on the way to their rescue right at that moment! Sometimes. You just KNOW that things are meant to be 🙂. It’s always best to raise orphan wildlife with others of their kind to prevent imprinting on humans while in captivity. That is BEST case scenario. So then it was how to get him to southern Ontario as quick as possible?
Now for my thank you’s…
I have to give a HUGE shoutout to Northern Reach Network for being willing to take our little orphan last minute into a caravan of dogs and cats that were headed to Southern Ontario the very next day. They have helped me out in SO MANY rescues over the years and I can’t thank them enough for existing and being willing to help whenever I have asked. Thank you ❤️
A HUGE THANK YOU to Procyon Wildlife for accepting this porcupine and giving him the absolute best of care and being willing to work with me, and guide me in the care and proper handling of porcupines. Let me tell you. I learned SO MUCH about porcupines since then 🙂. THANK YOU ❤️
Another warm and heartfelt THANK YOU to The Canadian Wings of Rescue and their volunteer pilot Greg Campbell who donated his time, fuel and own private plane to fly this porcupine from southern Ontario back home to Thunder Bay. And thanks for coming along for the release as well! It was the slowest release ever hahaha.
Another huge thank you goes out to Donna Ross and her crew at Flash Frame Film and Video Network for coming out to document this release and this porcupines am amazing story.
Thank you also to Linda Ryma Photography for being a part of this release as well (and all the other stuff you do behind the scenes to help me make this rescue a reality).
Like SOOOO MANY other rescues. I wouldn’t be able to do ANY of this if it wasn’t for the help of multiple other people involved who offer their time, skills and well, just plain old good heartedness to help these animals and birds in need.
Thunderbird Raptor Rescue
This province wide community of animal lovers worked together to save the life of this beautiful porcupette!
Here is a gallery of images showing the young porcupine while in care at Procyon Wildlife, with his buddy, preparing to fly back to Thunder Bay and his release back to the wild.
No one can beat the smiles on these wonderful people who came together to save a precious life!