If you thought that a porcupine’s quills were their only defense mechanism, think again. While filming a video about these creatures, conservationist Jeff Corwin got bitten! As he was holding an adorable porcupine in his arms, the animal mistook one of the man’s fingers for a tasty snack. Corwin had to find a suitable alternative for the hungry critter, and quickly!
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Thankfully, the wildlife expert had some kale on hand. As soon as he presented the porcupine with a better option, the creature began crunching on the vegetable instead. What a relief for the poor man’s finger!
Of course, Jeff Corwin didn’t appear on camera just to get savaged by his own co-star. Actually, he was there to share some fascinating information about North American porcupines. For example, did you know that they’re the second largest rodent in North America?
California conservationists are trying to help these animals.
During his visit to the Wildlife Learning Center in California, Jeff Corwin got to hang out with a whole horde of porcupines. Their numbers are unfortunately dwindling in this state, which is why the sanctuary has been doing their best to help. According to Corwin, these animals are very much worth saving!
“I love porcupines,” he said. “They’re very social, very curious creatures. They are the gentle pincushions of nature.”
It sounds like he doesn’t harbor any hard feelings about getting bitten!

At one point, Corwin also shared a close-up of a porcupine’s quill, which appeared to have gotten caught on the man’s shirt. As he explained, this “modified hair” is what the critters use to protect themselves.
As video came to a close, Jeff Corwin announced that he’d be including a segment about porcupines on his new CBS series, Extraordinary World. According to a press release on PR Newswire, the release date for the show’s first episode was January 4. You can watch the program on CBS or Paramount +.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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