Carlos and the Spiny Dweller of the Canopy

Among the tangle of branches and lianas that form the canopy of the sanctuary's humid forest, Carlos looked up and found an unexpected visitor: an arboreal porcupine settled high in the treetops, so still and so perfectly concealed within the vegetation that it might easily have been mistaken for just another knot in the wood. He photographed it carefully, without disturbing it, and the animal never stirred. The arboreal porcupine — known also as coendú — is one of those nocturnal mammals that spend their days curled among the branches, trusting that their quills and their patience will render them invisible. This time, the strategy almost worked. Almost. This is the first time we have recorded the presence of this species in the sanctuary, reminding us that the 520 hectares of Fundación Loros still hold many surprises within their foliage.