Austin Animal Control removes porcupine from a tree downtown

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's not something you see every day — a porcupine in downtown Austin.

But that's exactly what happened Wednesday. A wayward porcupine found itself in a tree on Fourth and Lavaca a couple blocks from Austin City Hall. Eventually, animal control was able to remove it and take it to a more appropriate place.

An Austin City Hall employee sent us a photo of the rare occasion.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's website, the spiny, bowlegged animals have adapted to a variety of habitats in West Texas and they are perfectly at home in trees. Typically, porcupines' range is limited to West Texas which also includes parts of the Hill Country.

TPWD said since porcupines are wanderers by nature, sometimes they end up in open places that "appear completely unsuitable" for them.