Porcupines
Juniper and Tumbleweed are the porcupines who live at the Museum. Tumbleweed is a male porcupine who stars in our summer Desert Dwellers program. His sister, Juniper, is often seen in our natural habitat exhibit located in the Schnitzer Entrance Hall, just inside the Museum doors.
They were both born in captivity and, as a result, are imprinted on humans and can not survive on their own in the wild. They rely on us to survive because they never learned how to hunt or avoid predators. Imprinting occurs when humans take young animals from their parents or animals are born in captivity.
None of the animals cared for at the High Desert Museum can be released to the wild. And, most of our animals were rescued after being injured, rather than being imprinted. As a result of their injuries, many of the birds at the High Desert Museum can not fly.
The Museum is committed to delivering the highest standard of care to the animals who live here. Our wildlife staff works with our animals daily to build their trust and provide enrichment. And, their habitats are designed to give them the space and environment they require.