San Diego Zoo vets perform first-ever C-section for North American porcupine

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has made a big announcement for a tiny porcupine.

The zoo wildlife alliance announced Tuesday its veterinarians successfully performed the first-ever cesarean section (C-section) for a North American porcupine in an effort to save the life of the mother, Maizey, and her baby, Dakota, in what wildlife officials say marks a major advancement in veterinary science.

During Maizey’s pregnancy, the wildlife alliance says care specialists closely monitored the mama porcupine and provided around-the-clock care as she went into labor. When the team noticed she needed assistance, veterinarians performed a successful C-section, then cared for the newborn porcupine while Maizey healed.

The zoo wildlife alliance says Maizey and Dakota are doing well. Maizey has since healed and is back to her normal self, while the male porcupette is healthy and playful, and getting bigger every day. His care specialists say he spins in circles and practices flaring up his quills, which is a porcupine’s natural defense against predators.

“This groundbreaking surgery emphasizes the integral role of expert veterinary medical care in zoological facilities and highlights the advantages of innovative approaches to save species in need of conservation,” said Dr. Michele Goodman, director of animal care with Elmwood Park Zoo and veterinary advisor for the North American porcupine Species Survival Plan. “For the North American porcupine, this procedure represents a significant step forward to improve long-term survival rates and contributes to broader conservation efforts aimed at securing its future in the wild.”

Porcupines are nocturnal rodents that are found in two mains regions of the world. The wildlife alliance on their website states Old World porcupines are found in Europe, Africa and Asia, while New World porcupines are found in North, Central and South America.

The thin-spined porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus is listed as vulnerable, as it is losing its habitat mainly due to cocoa plantations in northeastern Brazil, according to the wildlife alliance.

Learn more about porcupines at animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/porcupine .

The zoo wildlife alliance credits veterinary technicians, hospital care specialists and neonatal assisted care unit specialists for their work in saving Maizey and baby Dakota.

“This landmark procedure highlights the critical role that our veterinary teams play in species conservation, not just in emergencies, but as part of a legacy of leadership in wildlife care,” said Greg Vicino, vice president of wildlife care with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “The success of Maizey’s C-section is another example of our veterinarians’ unwavering commitment to preserving the health and longevity of wildlife.”

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international, nonprofit conservation organization that operates the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

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