CUDDLY, CUTE, AND FULL OF QUILLS: The rules of language are nearly as plentiful as the words we speak and the ways in which we order them, but one we learn pretty on, even as young kids, has to do with the word "baby." Add "baby" to the front of a noun -- baby kangaroo, baby dog, baby strawberry -- and the listener immediately understands that the speaker is referring to a joey, a puppy, and, well, um, a strawberrykin? (Substitute your own term for a berry that's on the bitty side.) But while kids grow up, and start saying puppy instead of baby dog or kitten instead of baby cat, a baby porcupine's official handle might remain a mystery, even among those language lovers who adore animals. So while saying baby porcupines were born at The Living Desert animal park in Palm Desert on July 22, 2015 is absolutely accurate, and reveals to the reader that newly arrived porcupines, on the diminutive size, are the subject, one could also use "porcupettes" to get their point across. Let that lovely, lovely word roll around on your tongue or in your brain for a moment: porcupettes. Will you ever say "baby porcupine" ever again, now that you know it? Go forth and spread the happy porcupette word, and, while you're at it, make for...
THE LIVING DESERT... where the newly born African Crested porcupines reside. The pair's mom is Skittles and dad is Nusura and yes, the pretty little ones already have their quill-cool silhouettes. The Living Desert has shared photos of the duo snacking, too, on Facebook, images that immediately summoned a collective "awww" from the arid-lovely zoo's fanbase. There's a female porcupette and a male porcupette and the siblings don't yet have names. But they do have character to spare from the get-go: "Crested porcupines are extremely inquisitive creatures with unique personalities and characteristics. We love that about them," says The Living Desert's CEO Allen Monroe.
HAND-REARED LOVE: While the young duo is tended to, by hand and heart, away from the public scene, you can admire the other spiky-cute denizens of the animal park (there are several porcupines on the grounds). The Living Zoo says one of the baby porcupines -- er, sorry, porcupettes, rather -- will take on a big role, that of educational outreach. Important things await you, little ones. Grow those quills strong.
