Meet Blandford Nature Center's Quillber

Blandford Nature Center has a new resident. He is a baby North American porcupine named Quillber.

He is the nature center's newest Wildlife Ambassador. You can visit the little guy from the Wildlife Trail during your next visit.

The Blandford Nature Center Facebook page explains how Quillber made his way to his new home and why he's there...

"Quillber was found in the Mount Pleasant area behind someone's shed alone in a pile of blood. After no return by mom for over 24 hours, a DNR officer brought him to the local wildlife rehabilitator and veterinarian, Cathy Lindstrand."

Baby porcupines need interaction with an adult porcupine to learn things like foraging for food and how to find winter shelter.

Because he very quickly became used to being around humans, he doesn't have the natural fear that would keep him safe in the wild. As a non-releasable imprint, Quillber will be used to help teach the public about Michigan's native wildlife.

The official website explains that Blandford Nature Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose job and passion is to invite the community to enjoy, explore, and learn in nature. They make this happen by allowing visitors to get their hands dirty -- whether that be standing knee-high in water to learn about stream ecology or planting squash seeds to start a garden. This is accomplished through an active outdoor environmental lab, a team of passionate, knowledgeable people and a strong link from past to future promoting sustainability. Blandford offers a wide variety of experiences to support their mission and vision through dynamic partnerships and innovative programming for all ages.

The Visitor Center/Farm are open Monday-Saturday from 10 am-3 pm. They are closed on Sunday. The trails are open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free for Members and $3 for Non-Members. The Blandford Nature Center is located on the city's northwest side at 1715 Hillburn Ave, NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504.

I found a YoutTube video of this little porcupine named Teddy who really loves his pumpkin. Make sure your sound is turned up because he makes the cutest noises while eating...