AUSTIN, Texas — Porcupines are making their way eastward into Central Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) officials.
TPWD told KVUE that biologists have noticed more porcupines in Central Texas, and there could be a number of reasons why. The department said it could be either changing habitat or the species is adapting to more eastern habitats. However, at the end of the day, TPWD officials said they have no surveys to pinpoint the exact cause of the movement.
Porcupines' range in Texas has typically been limited to the western portion of the state, including the Panhandle and parts of the Hill Country, according to TPWD.
TPWD said its biologists, and citizens, contribute to the website, iNaturalist. On iNaturalist, a website where people can log appearances of animals, you can see most of the porcupine sightings around Austin are west of Interstate 35, throughout the Hill Country. The closest sightings on iNaturalist to the downtown area were a handful of appearances logged along Lady Bird Lake.
If you see a porcupine, TPWD officials say you should simply leave it alone and it will be on its way. If you're concerned about the presence of an animal, TPWD advises you to contact a Texas Game Warden or biologist in your county for more information.
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