A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

114. Sleeping porcupine

MARCH 2007: Sleeping porcupine

The ZOO in Belo Horizonte is located at the margin of Pampulha Lake, and hosts about two hundred different animal species. Most visitors will immediately go to see the monkeys, and the gorillas. Others prefer watching the giraffes and elephants, how they are having their daily routines. Also the lions, the tigers, and the jaguars can count on many interested visitors. However, not too many people will visit the smaller animals, like this porcupine. Most of the time, these animals stay inside their cages, and only go out at day for some short walk, or on the way for their daily meal. Therefore, it was not a big surprise to watch this porcupine sleeping like a baby. It looked so innocent, like it was sound asleep, and maybe dreaming about its food to arrive. You almost wanted to come close and stroke it. But… be careful with its spines!

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2015

BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

The ZOO in Belo Horizonte is located at the margin of the Pampulha Lake. The complex also hosts an interesting botanical garden, where the visitor can wonder the colors and shapes of an elaborate collection of domestic and exotic plants and flowers. The ZOO itself hosts about 200 animal species, including some elephants, lions, tigers, hippos, and even a gorilla: Idi.
Most of the animal territories do not have cages, but high fences or walls. Even the big cats and elephants can be viewed without the presence of iron bars.
Normally you will keep some distance at a porcupine, for your own safety. But when viewing this sleeping porcupine beauty, you almost will become eager to touch it. Or not?

Camera: Canon PowerShot A540

f/5.5 1/60 sec.