Watch: San Diego Zoo vets perform first-ever porcupine C-section

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced its veterinarians have performed the first-ever cesarean section birth for a North American porcupine.

The wildlife alliance said Maizey, a female North American porcupine living at the San Diego Zoo, suffered complications during labor that necessitated a C-section procedure to protect her life and that of her male baby.

"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," Greg Vicino, vice president of wildlife care with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, said in a news release. "The success of Maizey's C-section is another example of our veterinarians' unwavering commitment to preserving the health and longevity of wildlife."

The male porcupette, who has not yet been named, is being hand-reared by zookeepers to allow Maizey to recover from the C-section.

"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," said Michele Goodman, director of animal care with Elmwood Park Zoo and veterinary advisor for the North American porcupine Species Survival Plan.