Credit: Dave McMillan

A porcupine has earned celebrity status at the Long Lake Conservation Center, located east of Aitkin in Palisade.

The prickly critter began hanging around the camp during the fall and made himself a little home in one of the storm drains. It quickly became apparent he was not afraid of the staff or the students who frequented the camp. In fact, he almost seemed to show up whenever the cameras were around.

The folks at the Long Lake Conservation Center decided he needed a name and left it up to the campers to decide. They compiled a list of some fun names including, Quilliam Shakespeare, Quilly Nelson, and Chewbarka, but Dill Prickles won out.

Dill spends his days mostly eating bark off the red oak trees. He’s also been known to nap high up in the pine trees where the needles and thickets provide him shelter. But overall, he was built for the limelight and will continue to be an important part of the camper’s experience.

It’s not every day you get to see a porcupine so close. Still, it’s best to remember they are wild animals and can bring a nasty poke in the form of their quills if you get too close.

As long as Dill Prickles plans to stick around, the staff at the Long Lake Conservation Center will continue to show him off.

By — Charlie Yaeger