14 DAY TRIAL // The adorable little fellow pictured above is a proud representative of a newly discovered species of tree-dwelling porcupines.
A report published in the scientific journal Zootaxa a few days back says that this new species of porcupine is currently inhabiting Brazil's Northeastern Atlantic Forest.
Wildlife researchers are fairly convinced that, since as much as 98% of this species’ natural habitat in Brazil has thus far been destroyed, these porcupines have to be listed as a critically endangered species.
More so given the fact that, as Mongabay informs us, locals do not shy away from hunting and killing them.
The species was named Coendou speratus, which is basically a combination of the animal's local name (i.e. coandu-mirim) and the Latin translation for “hope” (i.e. speratus).
These porcupines are believed to only go out looking for seeds on which to feed during nighttime. During daytime, the animals sleep in tree hollows.