Page 7 - Kind News, May/June 2022

Mama Betty White!

Surprise Baby!

Betty White the porcupine needed help. A volunteer for the Saco
River Wildlife Center (SRWC) in Limington, Maine, found her in
bad shape. Betty had mange, a skin disease caused by small
bugs related to ticks and spiders. It made her skin crusty and
painful. It was so bad, you could hardly see her face.
The staff and veterinarians at SRWC took her in and treated her
skin. That’s when they noticed her belly felt very hard. They hoped Baby Rose!
it wasn’t cancer.
The team did an X-Ray and to their surprise, Betty was having
a baby! Just a few hours later, Betty gave birth to a healthy
porcupette, or baby porcupine, they named Rose. If you ever come
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Bethany Brown, founder and director of SRWC, was amazed. across an injured
“We have rescued over 830 animals this year, and I had never animal in the wild:
seen a wild animal give birth in front of me. It was the most • Keep your distance! Hurt
unbelievable experience,” she said. animals are often scared
Betty was a wonderful mother! She immediately started caring and may attack.
for little Rose. Once they were both healthy and
strong, SRWC released the two porcupines • Find an adult to help you.
back into the wild. • Look up a wildlife rehabilitation
center near you and contact
them for help.

TRUE OR If you need to

contain the animal:
FALSE? • Make sure only adults handle

them and make sure they
always wear gloves.
Porcupines shoot quills at • Avoid giving the animal food
their predators. or water until you talk to a
Porcupines are clumsy. wildlife professional.
Porcupines’ quills have superpowers.
Porcupines and hedgehogs are related.

May/Jun 2022 | 7
RIDDLE ANSWER: MOO-DY!