A Historic Rescue at the San Diego Zoo: Dakota, the First Porcupine Delivered via Cesarean Section

This medical performance made it possible to save the lives of the two animals, Dakota and that of his mother Maizey. A significant event, bringing hope for the conservation not only of the species but also of other animals.

A highly monitored birth

The birth of the young female, Dakota, was not as simple as the others. From the start of gestation, veterinary teams at the San Diego Zoo closely monitored Maizey's pregnancy. In fact, it was his first little one.

But as the term approached, complications arose, especially when labor began. Dakota was then found to be too large to pass through the birth canal. It was therefore urgent to perform a cesarean section, a first for a North American porcupine.

To carry out this unprecedented intervention, a team of 15 people, veterinarians, anesthetists and animal care specialists, was mobilized. Garrett Fraess, one of the veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, even joked about it in a press release:it takes a village to raise a child, and that's sometimes true even if they have quills”. The intervention took place with a level of complexity rarely achieved for this type of mammal.

A complex and risky operation

Caesarean section in porcupines represents a real medical challenge. Unlike the 1.3 million humans who undergo this procedure each year in the United States, it is a rare and risky act for wild animals according to a study carried out in 2023.

The veterinary team had to overcome many challenges during this procedure, such as anesthetizing the mother and baby, but also the very precise manipulation of Maizey's internal organs and the prevention of possible inflammations that would occur after the operation .

But one of the real difficulties of this operation was linked to Dakota's quills. As a reminder, porcupines are born without hard quills, in fact at birth they are covered with soft hairs, but Maizey had been in labor for 72 hours. This unusual delay would have caused some of the needles to appear, which made the cesarean section even more complex. This required three hours of intervention to remove the newborn and prevent its quills from injuring the inside of its mother's body.

Dakota, a miraculous porcupine

Since birth, Maizey and Dakota have been doing well. The caregivers decided to raise the newborn by hand which would have allowed the mother to recover from this difficult but happy event.

Since then, Dakota has been described by the zoo as being curious, playful and exploring her environment, and would perform a gesture that earned her the nickname “twirling bird” by the keepers. A unique dance which consists of turning in circles while deploying its quills, it is a defense mechanism against predators.

A medical breakthrough, hope for the conservation of species

Maizey and Dakota's successful operation didn't just save two lives. According to Michele Goodman, director of animal care at Elmwood Park Zoo and veterinary advisor to the North American Porcupine Survival Plan, this intervention marks a major breakthrough in the world of veterinarians and the conservation of endangered species. She explains to the British media “this revolutionary procedure improves long-term porcupine survival rates and contributes to broader conservation efforts”.

Indeed, the success of this intervention could open the way to more complicated operations for other endangered species. An opinion confirmed by Greg Vicino, vice president of wildlife care at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance who explains that “the success of the Maizey operation is an example of the unwavering commitment of our veterinary teams to preserving the health and longevity of wild animals”.

Thanks to this intervention, Dakota restores hope for the future of North American porcupines, but above all for the preservation of biodiversity.

Sources : Iflsciences, Press release, Study