Not As Cuddly As I Look -- North American Porcupine in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Baby Onesie

The North American Porcupine is an excellent climber, using it's bristle-like hairs on the underside of its tail to aid it when scaling trees. They are best known for their defensive quills, modified hairs which have microscopic barb-like structures. Porcupines are the second largest rodent in North America, second only to the beaver. Their range runs all the way from northern Mexico to Canada and Alaska and are commonly found in forested areas.

The Skilak Wildlife Recreation area is part of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge consists of nearly two-million acres of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage.

I have been photographing the things I see for over thirty years. A resident of San Luis Obispo County, I'm lucky to have many excellent photo destinations within a few minutes' or hours' drive. Beyond the local area, I have traveled throughout California and the western United States, visited far away American destinations such as Chicago, New York, Florida, and Alaska, and international destinations in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. My photography varies from Architecture to Industrial Art to Nature to Wildlife and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your home or office. Visit my blog